Casino giant Genting to build Miami baywalk

Wednesday 3rd of February 2016

As part of a $600 million improvement of the I-395 highway in Florida, Genting have been in discussions with Miami City commissioners about building an improved public baywalk on the waterfront downtown and beyond, according to local media.

In January, commissioners approved a resolution calling on the Florida Department of Transportation to provide a baywalk underneath the I-395 highway. The resolution says that a baywalk connecting Museum Park and the former Miami Herald site would allow better connectivity to Biscayne Bay for the benefit of the public.

The department of transportation has reportedly had a series of property exchanges with the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County and Genting Group, the owners of the old herald site.

Malaysia-based Genting purchased the newspaper site in 2011, announcing plans for its $3 billion luxury casino, Resorts World Miami. There was a land swap between the developer and the state around five months ago as part of the preparation work for the I-395 project.

Gus Pego, local district secretary for the transportation department told commissioners last week that Genting had agreed to build the baywalk under I-395 as part of its marina. Genting would lease property under the highway and bottomlands to extend the baywalk as part of its marina, he said.

Attorney Vicky Garcia-Toledo, representing Resorts World Miami LLC said a full baywalk is part of its design. Earlier, Genting said Resorts World Miami would “serve as a connecting point between the Adrienne Arsht Center, Museum Park, and Margaret Pace Park. This will open up the waterfront to the public and revitalize the Omni neighborhood.”

Bricks & Mortar Florida