You can see how many comments on the subject are in favor of the show staying. I wish I had as many fans as Burn Notice does! Even my little cousin from NY has been texting me asking about the fate of the Expo Center. I'm getting letters from fans in Europe and all over the US, all in favor of the show. These people see Coconut Grove sprawled across their tv screens every Thursday night, in glorious color (and in reruns at other times on other channels). I saw Burn Notice ads all over NY recently. When people watch Burn Notice, they are watching Coconut Grove. And they know it.
I have seen comment boards where the fans are so into the show that they will discuss minutia like, "Did you see that building in episode #553? Well that was the same building used in Miami Vice in 1985 in episode #65!" The fans know where the show is based and filmed. I get emails almost monthly, it used to be weekly when the show was new, asking me about the filming schedules and if they could visit the set or meet the stars. When I write about Burn Notice or show photos, the Grapevine stats go through the roof. Fans are rabid for the show!
I find it incomprehensible that we are sending Hollywood away. People fight for tv and film production. It's a clean industry that brings money and notoriety and jobs to an area. That's why there are millions of dollars in cash incentives given to production companies. It's a good thing.
The Expo Center is the place where Jim Morrison exposed himself for god sakes! It has major history attached to it as part of what is called the Miami Incident. One time when I was a tour guide on a bus for a night (during Pow Wow), each time the bus passed the Burn Notice studios, one whole side of the bus ran to the other side to gawk and take photos, they do this now with the Big Red Bus as it passes many times daily, watch tourist reactions as the buses go by. The Expo Center is an attraction, not a burden!
Right now the north side, about 40,000 square feet is sitting empty and while the City claims it is too dangerous to open and use, school children have had parties there recently, so it really can't be that dangerous. The north hall is a money maker for the City, which by the way, is broke and needs revenue. It should be opened and used for events which bring many people and lots of money to the area. For years, the Coconut Grove Cares Antique Market was there monthly along with so many other things.
I remember travel fairs and festivals in there, I remember home shows and science fairs and lots of things that would pay rent to the city and bring people to the Grove.
The other side, if Burn Notice stays or not, could always be a movie and tv studio. Marley & Me and other productions used it. As I stated before, we are a little Culver City and the studio should stay. Major rents could be paid by Hollywood production companies to use the studio -- more revenue for the cash strapped City. As for those, including Commissioner Sarnoff, who feel that the Burn Notice crew is underpaying for the studio, keep in mind it is not a studio, or it was not when they got a hold of it, it was a run down building that Burn Notice made new again. They put in the air conditioning and redid the wiring and fixed the leaky roofs and provided security, etc. They made it their home and paid rent while doing all the fix up work, the filmed around the leaks and in the heat and through the fix-ups.
As for park land, the Grove is covered with parks, the waterfront is sprawling with parks almost consistently from Kennedy Park around to Peacock Park with Myers Park, the Seminole Boat Ramp area in between. There is access at the Sailing Club and various other areas. We don't really need a park if a movie studio and convention center works. It is just another amenity in the Grove. You know, we could actually sell the Grove as having sailing centers and parks and a movie studio and a convention center, etc. The Expo Center is an attraction to Hollywood and to tourists.
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