Legacy 2016 Miami: 25 Most Powerful Women Issue | Page 2

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AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MIAMI HERALD

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016

Greater Benefits Brought to the Community

By Commission Chairman Keon Hardemon

Miami City Commission
Chairman Keon Hardemon
As Chairman of the Southeast
Overtown/Park West Community
Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA), I am
committed to ensuring that CRA funds are
expended to achieve the CRA’s statutory
goals of eliminating slum and blight. In
furtherance of that, the SEOPW CRA is

implementing a plan that immediately
sparks new development but is mindful to
preserve future revenue to advance the
goals of the SEOPW CRA. We have made
tremendous strides to dignify labor in the
two years I have served as Chairman by
implementing Responsible Wages, Enhanced
Living Wages, and meaningful penalty
structures when developers do not meet
their community benefit goals. However,
our newest negotiation with MDM
Development Group, for the development
of a convention hotel, will serve as the
pinnacle of any previous agreements
entered into by the SEOPW CRA
organization.
MDM intends to build a convention
hotel. The convention hotel will boast 1800
rooms and over 600,000 square feet of
meeting, exhibition and event space. It
intends to attract domestic and
international meetings, conferences, global
congresses and summits. It will house a
65,000 square foot Grand Ballroom—which
is rumored to be the largest in South Florida.
There will be more than 110,000 square feet
of dedicated exhibit space, 80,000 square

PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Welcome to the 2015 edition of The Miami’s
25 Most Influential and Prominent Black
Women in Business and Leadership.
In this issue, we say “Booyah!” to the
Women of Color Awards recipients for
generating over $25 million dollars of revenue
in 2015. Then, keep your eyes open for some
phenomenal women who might have had a
down moment, or two, only to “rebound”
stronger than ever.
Next, look out for “Angels in the Outfield” and learn about the
meaningful developments in Overtown and its champion Commissioner
Kervin L. Clenance
Group Publisher, Legacy Magazine
Erica V. Knowles-Nelson
Editor-in-Chief, Legacy Magazine
Denise St. Patrick-Bell PhD
Copy Editor
Teekay
Cover Photographer
Toni Harrigan
Intern

feet of pool/event outdoor space and a
1,500 seat theatre. However, they cannot
make this a reality without our community’s
support. Thus, MDM has formally
requested TIF rebates from the SEOPW CRA
to assist them in developing this project.
The SEOPW CRA understands the
potential benefits of MDM’s development
and wants to ensure our community can
share in its success. This project will
eliminate much of the blight that exists
within the community redevelopment area
and implore thousands of visitors from
around the world to frequent our
community each day. Moreover, we have
thought about what community benefits
should be conceded before we commit our
community’s taxpayer dollars to help finance
our newest economic engine. Additionally,
we are immediately seeking input from
residents and community stakeholders
regarding the proposed agreement.
In addition to the community benefits
attained in previous development
agreements, our proposal will demand that
additional labor classifications receive a
Responsible Wage and they guarantee

permanent jobs to our community at
Enhanced Living Wages to ensure that we
are not exacerbating poverty within our City.
Our proposal will demand an unprecedented
70% local hiring requirement and establish
monitoring throughout the life of the
development to ensure such goals are
sustained or else risk cessation or
repayment of TIF rebates. It will require the
developer to establish agreements with
other community entities, such as the
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and
the South Florida Minority Supplier
Development Council to assist them in
achieving their small business participation
requirements. It will demand job training
for our adult residents and paid internship
opportunities for our students. Moreover, it
will require the SEOPW CRA to attain
ownership within the development to
ensure our community profits from the
asset it helped create. We fully intend on
moving the ball forward towards community
benefit agreements that are robust and
have long standing effects within our
poverty stricken communities. We hope
that you will support us in that mission.

Keon Hardemon. In the movie there might have been an angel in the
outfield, but Commissioner Hardemon has been Overtown’s angel in City
Hall.
This is always my favorite issue because my life has been filled with,
and influenced by, powerful women. Whether they are lawyers, doctors,
colleagues, sisters, and/or friends (especially my wife), they are all
keepers in my database of influence. Powerful women are a major part of
my truth!
As we usher in a new year, I hope this issue helps you find your truth.

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#legacy25women

Kervin L. Clenance
Group Publisher
Legacy Miami
Legacy South Florida