Trying to save Burn Notice
An email is going around regarding Burn Notice and the City of Miami. It's coming from a casting agency in Miami Beach. I don't think the park that is proposed for the site is for the condo going in across the street, and it just proves my point from a previous post about rumors that spread around town.
Here's the email, they would like fans' support at the City Commission meeting on Thursday, July 26, in regards to renewing Burn Notice's lease at the Expo Center. A meeting and rally start at 10 am at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive) (I think the Commission starts meeting at 9 am, so they better get there beforehand).
Please help us keep Burn Notice in Miami...
The City of Miami Commissioners, in particular Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, has told us they will not be renewing the lease at the Coconut Grove Convention Center [Expo Center] where Burn Notice is based. Commissioner Marc Sarnoff has plans to build a park on the property where the Convention Center is located. This park is linked to a private condominium that is being built across the street from our site. He has told the other Miami Commissioners that he "is ready to go" with the demolition process. The cost to move Burn Notice to another stage and office location will be at least 1 million dollars and will take the final season of Burn Notice out of the city of Miami and possibly the state of Florida. This will not only impact the cast and crew and the 150 jobs it supplies per day, but is sending a message to the world that Miami is not a friendly film community.
They have a Facebook page here, too.
Here's the email, they would like fans' support at the City Commission meeting on Thursday, July 26, in regards to renewing Burn Notice's lease at the Expo Center. A meeting and rally start at 10 am at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive) (I think the Commission starts meeting at 9 am, so they better get there beforehand).
Please help us keep Burn Notice in Miami...
The City of Miami Commissioners, in particular Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, has told us they will not be renewing the lease at the Coconut Grove Convention Center [Expo Center] where Burn Notice is based. Commissioner Marc Sarnoff has plans to build a park on the property where the Convention Center is located. This park is linked to a private condominium that is being built across the street from our site. He has told the other Miami Commissioners that he "is ready to go" with the demolition process. The cost to move Burn Notice to another stage and office location will be at least 1 million dollars and will take the final season of Burn Notice out of the city of Miami and possibly the state of Florida. This will not only impact the cast and crew and the 150 jobs it supplies per day, but is sending a message to the world that Miami is not a friendly film community.
They have a Facebook page here, too.
posted by Tom Falco at 11:11 AM
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14 Comments:
Miami and Coconut Grove are very friendly, the Center Grove Mafia and its obstinate boss are the unfriendliest, crankiest, stupidest people you can possibly meet.
Yet another sign of how toxic Sarnoff is for the Grove (and the city of Miami, but that's another story).
He's probably mad because no one wants to use the crappy studio in Midtown.
"Miami and Coconut Grove are very friendly, the Center Grove Mafia and its obstinate boss are the unfriendliest, crankiest, stupidest people you can possibly meet."
This was a rude comment. You've just insulted a whole neighborhood because you believe they disagree with your point of view.
I have a call into Ron Nelson to ask point blank if all the rumors are true.............to be continued.
ZARNOFF must go with his ideas. we all need to go out and vote I did next time all must come out. He does his own little things around certain places to collect votes. LIKE giving out free t-shirts to certain demographics for their votes and they vote for him not for what he stands for.
City of Miami, we NEED more of those 15,000 jobs Burn Notice has offered so far! We need the money pouring into the Grove dry cleaners, cafes, the convenience store, gas station, etc. These folks are all over our little hamlet buying, buying, buying!
Sarnoff MUST explain why he is working to take this away. Yes, it's a great, fun show, but dollars and SENSE tell us to let the money keep coming in while they are still or the air!
Dear Mr. Sarnoff,
As a lifelong permanent resident of Miami, FL (NOT transient like many of the condo-dwellers), I take great offense to your actions in this matter. There are already two existing, very nice parks in the Grove, therefore, what is the rush for a third park?
As I already stated in a previous email to you, television shows don't last forever, so why is it that you can't wait until it eventually is not renewed and then move forward with your third park and another empty condo building phase?
Do you want to demolish the CCGC so the construction equipment needed for the condo project will have a base of operations? Is that it?
You are doing a great disservice to the people who currently reside in Coconut Grove, not to mention the many other people's who's livelihoods depend on "Burn Notice" continuing to film where they are. (I'm sure many over at Scotty's Landing and the Grove Marina would also agree).
The message you are sending to Hollywood, CA is that South Florida is NOT film friendly. In your reply below it actually comes off as you trying to force the Producers of Burn Notice to help fund your Wynwood efforts. You are jeopardizing a huge and important industry locally that directly and indirectly fuels many other industries.
Again, shame on you Mr. Sarnoff. It's downright appalling.
The Post above says it all and I agree. SARNOFF MUST GO. I wonder if he would feel the same if he had a local business and BN staff would bring him busniess and other crew when filimimg and I come along a tell him no not any more becuase I want a park. I am sure he would not like a tatse of his own dirty medicine.
I love the guy who says he's got a call into Ron Nelson to get a straight answer. Ron Nelson wouldn't be any more capable of giving you a straight answer than Marc Sarnoff is. Let me know when Nelson's nose is surgically removed from Sarnoff's butt, then I'll believe he's capable. Maybe.
Unfortunately it seems the commission is hell-bent on getting rid of the biggest moneymaker here in the Grove. It really is a shame. All of my kids have worked during the past two summers as extras and made enough money to have spending cash and also bank a few dollars into their college funds. We've also been included in the fun when Burn Notice has hired a local ice cream truck, got free stickers and autographs. The folks there have always treated us in a friendly and inviting manner and I guess, fellow Miamians, for a brief moment we had "our" TV show. Many of us will be sorry to see them pack and go into a more inviting neighborhood. Thank you to the cast and crew for adding some excitement to the Grove!
I sent an email to Sarnoff regarding this situation. I was polite and reasonable about the situation in my email. Today I got a rude email from him/his office pretty much detailing what I already know about this situation.
All I have to add is if Sarnoff wants more shows to shoot in Miami but finds that people would rather shoot in LA instead, it's his fault.
I am the person who contacted Ron Nelson to get the "real story" of the Burn Notice situation. He returned my call, I was able to speak at length, I was able to ask any questions and get answers. He was very polite and gave me a LOT of his time. The answers were really, to be honest, not what I wanted to hear. I am still perplexed about the Burn Notice scenario. If the city is in such dire financial straits, then why push Burn Notice to a "private enterprise" in Wynnwood? Sure the CITY could use the funds. You know, really, what the Grove REALLY NEEDS is PARKING. A PARK? How does that benefit the CITY? I'd be interested in seeing what the PARKING plan for the new (unnecessary) park is. I have tried to be neutral, but after reading Spence-Jones commment about the Grove residents wanted a park more than they wanted Burn Notice to stay, I am done. Where is REASON in all this?
Have any of you ever looked into the City of Miami’s Downtown master plan? They are trying to build districts, where certain industries are going to be centered in certain areas/neighborhoods. If I remember right, they are trying to make Wynwood/Overtown area the "media" district. If I remember right, they call it "Media City". I know Queen Latifah is supposedly opening up a studio in Wynwood, and a few others (I can't recall the names). It sucks that they are doing this at the expense of local businesses in Coconut Grove, but they have an agenda, which isn't hard to figure out when you really look at what they are trying to do. Masterplans are good, and it makes total sense in the long run. It helps serve the needs of business as they are centered in specific areas. Also helps transporting people to these areas easier because of density.
The only place that I don't see a GOOD master plan for is the Grove. Cleaning up Grand Avenue is a good starting point, but their needs to be a more cohesive response to the Grove.
The Grove needs to figure out what it wants to be and then start giving businesses grants to move toward that. Grove needs a consultant maybe? Look at what the other areas are doing i.e. South Miami, Gables, Brickell, Downtown, Wynwood, and Design District, then figure out how to create a niche that doesn't seek to emulate those other areas, but enhance the offering that gives people a reason to come to the Grove. Grove also needs businesses that cater to the local community. Look at the Design District, because it doesn’t meet the needs of the community, it is 100% empty for most days of the week. Restaurants are nice, but how many do you REALLY need? People need to look at neighborhoods in traditional cities. In Brooklyn we lived off of Nostrand Avenue. When I hit the block, I have a fish market, butcher, viggie stand, tailors, dry cleaners, backery etc. etc. when I say bakery I don’t mean a high end cupcake shop. I mean a bakery where I can get pastries but also a baguettes, or pumpernickel as well. It’s the Grove, so instead of creating a low end butcher for example, create a high end butcher shop, that you would expect to see in Chelsea (my NYers know what I mean), same can go for a high end fish market, bakery and whatever else you can provide. You do that and the local shops will stay in business because they are providing services the community needs.
The burn notice thing is really unfortunate, but I think this is a good thing. People need to take this time to start to think about how to make the Grove viable. One business venture should not break a neighborhood, nor cause panic. That should indicate to people, something needs to change. The Grove is one of my favorite neighborhoods in South Florida, but it could definitely be so much more. I would even say, if the community leaders could put a tour together where they go around Miami and look at other areas. Then travel to major cities like NYC, Chicago and DC and see similar areas in that city. Get some ideas, but think OUTSIDE the box. Also need to mobilize the locals to start voting and getting involved. South Florida is such a bizarre place, where everyone is so apathetic. It makes no sense, especially in a place like the Grove that screams COMMUNITY! Let’s step our game up folks.
P.S. for typing so much, just wanted to add my two cents.
I live in Miami and honestly one of the joy's that I have is when I watch burn notice recognizing areas in Miami.
I think they should remain here in Miami
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