Written by Genevieve Bowen on October 29, 2025
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Following a summer decision to dissolve it, the Bayfront Park Management Trust’s Jan. 1 handover is being delayed to keep park programming and events running smoothly.
Miami commissioners last week debated the upcoming transfer of the Bayfront Park Management Trust’s operations to city administration. They ultimately voted to withdraw the July ordinance dissolving the trust and revisit the transfer in February, giving staff time to prepare a detailed transition plan to maintain park operations, programming and major events without disruption.
The trust oversees Miami’s two major downtown waterfront parks, Bayfront and Maurice A. Ferré. It was created in 1987 to manage operations, maintenance, programming and revenue. In July, the commission voted to integrate the trust into city management by Jan. 1. The plan was designed to streamline operations, but concerns quickly emerged over the timing, continuity and the handling of revenue generated by the parks.
During the Oct. 23 meeting, Commissioner Miguel Gabela, chairman of the Bayfront Trust, said the trust’s impending dissolution cast a “cloud” over park operations, hindering his ability to plan and manage events. He proposed delaying the transfer until February, after major holiday events like New Year’s Eve but before the Ultra Music Festival in March, to ensure a smooth transition and give his team time to complete ongoing projects and negotiations.
Assistant City Manager for Operations Barbie Hernandez presented the city’s plan to create a division under the city manager’s office to manage Bayfront and Maurice A. Ferré parks. The division would function like a department, with a director and assistant director, its own enterprise fund, and connections to other city departments for capital projects. The division would continue approved events, review and renegotiate contracts and implement a comprehensive master plan while adhering to city policies and procedures.
Commissioner Ralph Rosado supported a city-managed enterprise fund structure that would preserve downtown-generated revenue locally, maintain promised projects such as the Edward T. Graham Greenway and continue operations without disruption. He emphasized that the plan was focused on solutions rather than targeting trust leadership personally and agreed that a February transition was the most practical choice.
Commissioner Damian Pardo zeroed in on the nuts and bolts of the proposed transition, highlighting risks with employee transfers, outstanding payables and the timing of high-profile events downtown such as Ultra and FIFA. He called for a detailed, concrete plan to ensure no “balls are dropped” and a smooth handover. Chairwoman Christine King also supported the postponement, praising staff’s planning and emphasizing the need for decisions guided by the community’s best interests.
City Attorney George Wysong and City Manager Art Noriega clarified that the commission would need to withdraw the standing ordinance that abolished the trust and resubmit an amended version in November, setting a new transfer date and allowing staff to address logistics, vendor coordination and employee transitions.
With the vote to withdraw the ordinance, the Bayfront Park Management Trust will remain under its current management until February, when the commission will revisit the transfer. Staff is to develop a detailed plan to ensure a smooth handoff, maintain the parks’ enterprise fund and safeguard ongoing programming and events.