Miami Marine Stadium (Part 1)

There's a lot to shoot in South Florida, much more than I had time to capture. With only one full day in Miami, I left a long list of places unvisited, beckoning a future visit. One place I was sure not to miss was Miami Marine Stadium. Located on Virginia Key, it was the first purpose-built stadium for powerboat racing. Over the years it was also used for concerts and other events. Today, it sits abandoned, fenced in, and covered in graffiti, awaiting a rebirth.

The singularly unique structure, a folded, cantilevered, concrete plate shelter was designed by then 28-year Cuban immigrant Hilario Candela (no relationship to Felix). There has been talk over the years of demolishing Miami Marine Stadium, but in a story that parallels New York City's High Line, a group called Friends of Miami Marine Stadium has formed to save and find a modern use for this signature work of architecture and engineering. They even enlisted Jimmy Buffet to do a video on the stadium's behalf!