Last week the Miami City Commission voted 5-0 to bring a Formula One Grand Prix to Downtown Miami. Set to be part of Formula One's 2019 schedule, most likely in October, and will give the circuit a second event in the United States. The vote approved Resolution No. 22, which approves bringing a Formula One race to the city, Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, from 2019 through 2028. The 2.57-mile course will run through Downtown Miami's Biscayne Boulevard, American Airlines Arena and PortMiami; although 4-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who is ecstatic about the race coming to Miami, has said that he would like to see changes to the proposed track. Promotions will be handled by Related Companies' and Miami Dolphins' owner Stephen M. Ross via his Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE).
The approval of Formula One to come to Miami will bring a major, positive economic impact to the city. Formula One has 500 million global fans and currently hosts 21 races across five continents which are broadcast to over 1.8 billion viewers. The U.S. Grand Prix, which takes place in Austin, has attracted over 200,000 visitors to the city during race weekends. Adding races in the United States has been a goal of Liberty Media Corp. who acquired Formula One in 2016 for $1.1 billion in cash, 138 million Liberty Media shares and $351 million worth of an exchangeable debt instrument, issued by Formula One, which can be exchanged for shares of Liberty Media. Liberty Media also assumed $4.1 billion in Formula One's current debt. Liberty Media is also aiming to host races in the Las Vegas and New York markets which should further bolster the sports' fast growing popularity in the U.S.
The proposed track for the 2019 Miami Grand Prix
Formula E in Miami