Florida

Mayor Francis Suarez presents his concluding State of the City address at Miami Freedom Park

Miami, Florida – On Wednesday, Mayor Francis Suarez delivered his concluding State of the City address at Freedom Park.

As Mayor Suarez approaches the final 300 days of his tenure, he is set to conclude 16 years of dedicated service to the city.

Initially, he held the position of commissioner before ascending to the role of mayor of the city.
In his address to the city, he emphasized the projects he takes the most pride in throughout his career, including Freedom Park.

Miami Freedom Park is set to host not only Inter Miami’s new soccer venue but also marks the site where a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the City of Miami’s new administration building.

Suarez has indicated that this will be among the last projects in his current position, expressing that it stands as one of the proudest moments of his career.

“We reached what I consider to be the most significant sports agreement in American history,” he stated. “I mention this because we did not allocate any city funds.” The developer is handling the financing for the project privately.

Upon its completion, Miami Freedom Park is projected to generate approximately $2 billion annually.

The site will serve as the home for Inter Miami, featuring a 50-acre public park and a new 8-story administration building that covers over 380,000 square feet.

The entire development was situated on city-owned land, providing an ideal setting for the mayor to showcase his professional journey.

“I am delivering my last state of the city address,” Suarez stated.

Mayor Suarez highlighted the city’s achievements over the past year, noting a decrease in homicides from 31 in 2023 to 28 in 2024, marking the lowest per capita rate since the 1940s.
The unemployment rate experienced a slight increase to 2.3%, yet it remains 50% lower than the national average.

At the same time, the median household income has risen to $70,000.

“I took over a city that faced significant violence in the 1980s,” Suarez stated. In 2000, the situation was marked by poverty, and by 2010, it faced bankruptcy. We have brought it to a city known for its historically low homicide rates. That has seen exceptionally high rates of income growth.

Income inequality and affordable housing continue to present significant challenges in a city that has drawn major tech and finance firms during a real estate surge.

“Suarez stated that nearly $50 million has been invested in affordable housing projects.”
As the mayor approaches the final 300 days in office, what are the upcoming plans and priorities?

“I approach each day as it comes,” Suarez stated. Political opportunities are ever-present. Opportunities can arise unexpectedly at any moment. The desire to serve remains strong within me.

In response to a question about the possibility of running for governor, Suarez stated, “It’s something I would consider depending on how this year evolves.” We shall see.

The new administration building at Freedom Park is projected to be finished by 2027.

 

 

Lowell Bowen

From the time he was 8 years old Lowell knew he wanted to be on TV. Well, as people say one thing leads to another, that's how Lowell started his career in the news industry. Lowell has been part of The South Florida Daily since the very beginning.

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