Along with hosting a musical celebration that attracts concertgoers far and wide, Miami Gardens has become a locale that draws investment through sporting events and local tourism.
“Jazz in the Gardens” might be the city’s premier performance showcase, but the community is developing a reputation for large-scale success across other platforms. Despite neighborhood challenges and struggles, the city reflects an overall pride and spirit that parallels the high profile of its greatest attractions.
“Since our inception in 2003, the City of Miami Gardens has made remarkable strides, and together, as a community, we have built a foundation for sustained growth, innovation, and opportunities for everyone,” Mayor Rodney Harris told constituents in his 2024 annual address.
Miami Gardens has recently enjoyed a significant boost of interest and tourism, in the form of an event that was first established almost a century ago in Jacksonville. Sports fans and historically Black college and university students gathered in 1933 for the inaugural “Orange Blossom Classic,” which became known as the “Black National Championship,” a spirited, football game and fan rivalry held until 1978. The competition was reintroduced in 2021 and has been a ticket-seller at Hard Rock Stadium, shining a spotlight on Miami Gardens, and exposing visitors from Florida and beyond to its culture and history. With pre-game festivities and weekend themes that include Black traditions of music, live performances, and other celebrations, the “Orange Blossom Classic” showcases Miami Gardens as a hub of excitement. The football game has been nationally televised by ESPN, and the city has partnered with Orange Blossom Classic Business Unite to foster growth among local merchants.
Apart from the financial benefits to Miami Gardens and the region each fall when the “Classic” is played, Harris reports strategic efforts to increase prosperity.
“Over the past several years, we have made a number of decisions to spur economic development and grow the city’s infrastructure through policy changes, by acting indirectly as a development partner through public investment,” he says. “We established the Entertainment Overlay District in an effort to revitalize commercial centers in our city. Additionally, we have since added the Business Transitional Overlay District to encourage the redevelopment of underutilized properties and to encourage the consolidation of parcels that individually, may not be developable. Lastly, the establishment of the Performing Arts, Civic and Entertainment District will allow the greatest flexibility in design and development of the site located behind City Hall.”
Additional recent developments and investments in the city include:
• $26 million toward enhancing parks.
• $36 million toward road and drainage improvement.
• 2,000 new housing units.
• Groundbreaking at a 35-acre site in the Northwest 27th Avenue Corridor that will serve as space for hotels, a Formula One museum, and entertainment facilities.
Residents will witness the impact of more large-scale attractions when the “FIFA World Cup” and the “NCAA Championship” arrive in 2026.
“The City of Miami Gardens has established itself as a premier destination for world-class events and sports,” added Harris, “from hosting multiple Super Bowl championships, the Miami Tennis Open, Formula One, and a number of large-scale concerts, to supporting our local teams.”
Shirley Gibson, the city’s first mayor, died in 2024, resulting in widespread tributes from the community. A former police officer, Gibson is largely credited with leading Miami Gardens toward its status as Miami-Dade County’s 33rd incorporated municipality.
Located 17 miles from downtown Miami, the city’s population, including Caribbean immigrants, is approximately 110,000, making it the largest predominantly Black municipality in Florida. A reported 70.8 percent of residents are of African descent, and the community comprises about 30,500 households.
Miami Gardens celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 with a citywide observance and the theme “Then, Now, and Tomorrow.” At public events and in a commemorative booklet, local officials like Councilwoman Shannon Campbell expressed their pride about the growth of the community.
“I recall where I grew up, ‘The Bahas,’ where there was open land, where we rode horses. Now that area has mini-mansions,” Campbell wrote in the publication. “Also, the flea market on 183rd Street was the hub for shopping, but now we have the Promenade, an upscale plaza with restaurants.”
Campbell added, “Twenty years from now I’m looking for even more evolution in the city.”
Whether reflecting on the past or pondering the future of Miami Gardens, residents and municipal leaders express largely positive feelings about their hometown.
“Together we will ensure that Miami Gardens remains a place where dreams are realized, opportunities flourish and our community thrives,” Harris said.
