2011 Dawntown Competition Award Ceremony May 2

Miami, FL-May 2, 201Miami, FL-February 2, 2011-DawnTown, the annual International architectural competition, announces that the awards Ceremony for the Miami Marine Stadium Floating Stage Design Competition will be held Monday evening, May 2 at the Rusty Pelican restaurant on Virginia Key.

The event will feature a display of all of the contest entries as well as the announcement of the winner and semi-finalists. There will also be a keynote speech by Frank Sanchis, the Director of the U.S. Programs for the World Monuments Fund. Tickets for the event, which includes a sit down three course dinner, are only $30.

This year’s competition seeks creative architectural ideas for the design of a floating stage to complement the Miami Marine Stadium. The Miami Marine Stadium, located on Virginia Key just five minutes from downtown Miami, has become an internationally recognized icon – now slated for renovation by the City of Miami and a key priority of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado.

The contest, announced in January, has drawn significant attention. “We’re delighted with the response” said Joachim Perez, Executive Director of DawnTown. “We’re seeing more entries than we have compared to other contests we have run, and there is a lot of international interest as well.”

Built in 1963, the 6,566 seat Miami Marine Stadium has played an important role in the City’s cultural history. Originally built for boat racing, it also hosted many Concerts, Easter Sunrise Services, Television Shows, Political Rallies, and Boxing Matches - all from a floating stage that was towed directly in front of the Stadium. During performances, the Stadium became an “aquatic theatre in the round” -surrounded by the many boats attending the events. The Miami Marine Stadium was shuttered by the City of Miami after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 (though there was no hurricane damage) and has remained closed ever since.

In 2008, a new organization called Friends of Marine Stadium was formed under the aegis of Dade Heritage Trust, Miami-Dade County’s foremost historic preservation organization. The Friends group has successfully focused national and international attention on the structure. The Stadium is now considered an architectural gem. Designated Historic by the City of Miami, the stadium has achieved international recognition through inclusion on the 2009 “11 Most Endangered List” of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the 2010 Watch List of the World Monuments Fund. Even singer Jimmy Buffett, who performed many concerts there, taped a public service video endorsing restoration of the Marine Stadium. .

DawnTown is fortunate to have Hilario Candela on the judging panel. Candela designed the Stadium at age 28 and is now a leader in the efforts to restore it almost a half century later. “I look forward to receiving the proposed entries to the competition” said Candela, “This is an opportunity to think outside the box, but with a real project.”

The complete Jury for the DawnTown 2011 Floating Stage design competition includes:

“We are thrilled with the Floating Stage Design contest” said Don Worth, Co-Founder of the Friends of Marine Stadium, “This is an ‘ideas’ contest and we are hoping to see some great creative concepts that will foster as many different types of events and viewing experiences as possible.” The Friends group is helping to sponsor the contest awards, along with Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Dade Heritage Trust.

Tickets for the event must be purchased by April 25. For more information and to purchase tickets, call Dade Heritage Trust, 305-358-9572