Lil Wayne Lists Allison Island Mansion for $29.5 Million
Grammy Award winning rapper Lil Wayne is selling his Miami mansion on Allison Island for $29.5 million after purchasing the home in 2018 for $17 million.
The seven-bedroom, nine-bath, and two-half-bath residence located at 6480 Allison Road features 10,632-square-feet of living space with 110 feet of water frontage, a pool, and a cabana. A wine cellar, a movie theater, and a great room with 22-foot ceilings are all included with the mansion.
It is situated on a little more than half-acre, the mansion was created by spec-home developer Laurent Harrari in 2017.
Before purchasing the Allison Island estate, Lil Wayne paid $10 million for a La Gorce Island mansion in 2017.
According to records, in January, Lil Wayne’s Allison Island property’s neighbor, kitchen, bath, and flooring tycoon Alan Courey, sold his beachfront mansion for $16.5 million.
On Allison Island, recent transactions include developer Todd Michael Glaser’s $7.9 million acquisition of a waterfront parcel on the opposite side of the island with partners Scott Robins and Jonathan Fryd. On the property, Glaser intends to erect a 10,000 square foot mid-century modern home.
Florida Hits the Jackpot – Seminole Tribe and Governor DeSantis Signs Gaming and Betting Agreement
Governor Ron DeSantis is at it again! Back in March, DeSantis met with lawmakers to discuss possible options to bring betting and gaming to Florida, specifically Miami. Now, his plan seems to be falling into place.
A historic deal took place on Friday when Governor DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that would bring ‘mobile sports betting’ as well as ‘Vegas-style’ casinos to tribal facilities in Florida. According to Marcellus Osceola Jr. on Friday, Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, stated “The agreement we are about to sign is going to be life changing for our tribe.”
What the Agreement Will Look Like
Ages 21 and older (located within Florida) can use the app to place sports bets (sports teams would not be allowed to bet)
Bets would be routed through the Seminole Tribe for the next 30 years
The Seminole Tribe would agree to pay $500 million in annual payments to Florida (this amount could increase depending upon the market and profits)
The agreement would allow the transfer of slot machine licenses within Miami-Dade and Broward counties
An exclusive right to operate craps and roulette at all of the Tribe’s casinos and to build three more casinos on existing tribal property
Challenges Facing the Agreement
This agreement may come up against some legal challenges due to a constitutional amendment that was passed by voters in 2018 that requires a vote for all new games in Florida. Miami business leader, Armando Codina has hired a lawyer to fight the gambling agreement and if the agreement is approved, he stated that he plans to sue the State of Florida. According to the Miami Herald, there are others that plan on joining the fight if approved.
Final Notes
Before approval, this agreement must be ratified by the Florida Legislature as well as approved by the U.S. Department of Interior. Governor DeSantis and Senate leaders are due to meet on May 17th to discuss the issue and is expecting approval for the compact by August 2021. According to the Miami Herald, if this agreement is approved it will be the “most populous state in the nation to offer mobile sports betting!”
Are Casinos Coming to Miami?
Jeffrey Soffer, billionaire and son of real estate developer Donald Soffer, is pushing lawmakers to update Florida gambling laws. According to Miami’s Local 10 News, Miami Beach commissioners have hired lawyers to stop Soffer from building a casino under the Fontainebleau brand.
Miami Beach Mayor Gelber’s mission is to ‘discourage late-night entertainment in the city,’ and Soffer’s plan to build a casino goes against this.
According to Mayor Gelber, “What they are going to want to do apparently is take casino licenses, take gaming licenses, gambling licenses that exist right now in parimutuels — slot machines, card games, and things like that — and allow them to become portable.”
Also reported to be involved in the endeavor includes former President Donald Trump, who wants to open a casino at his current resort, Doral.
The Miami Herald has reported that Governor Ron DeSantis, has met with parimutuel owners to discuss casino openings and guidelines.
As part of he legislation, Genting’s Resort World Miami as well as the Seminole Tribe would be included and would greatly benefit from the legalization.
If this legislation passes, gambling licenses would be allowed to transfer into areas that currently do not allow it and local governments could not enforce any laws prohibiting it. The legislation is currently being drafted and will be released to the public within the next few weeks.
Brightline’s First Locomotive Completes Track Testing
The First Brightline Locomotive from GoBrightline.com
The first of the Brightline locomotives has completed its track testing in Sacramento, according to an update on their website. It is an important milestone, running the diesel engine for the first time along with a host of other checks.
They tested the air braking system, software for all systems, the doors, fire detection system, audible warning devices, communication systems, interior and exterior lighting and the weight verifications. The entire test took three weeks to complete.
The trains will have ergonomic cab designs for the engineers as well as an integrated trainset system that will improve ride quality and make for a far quieter ride than a traditional train. Commuting between Miami and West Palm Beach is expected to take only one hour and complimentary wifi is available for the ride.
The locomotive is expected to be delivered to Florida later this year, with rail service commencing in the summer of 2017. The station in Downtown Miami is currently under construction and will include 200,000 square feet of retail, 290,000 square feet of office space, 800 residential apartments and a 95-story high rise.
The Brightline Locomotive Cab from GoBrightline.com
An Aerial Look at All Aboard Florida/ Brightline Train Station Construction
Construction of the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach Brightline Stations is on schedule for the beginning of passenger train service next month, according to an update last week at the Brightline construction blog. The stations are also coming along pretty nicely when seen from the air. While construction for both the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations is coming along nicely, construction at MiamiCentral, the Miami terminal station and by far the largest of the three (the fourth station, connecting to Orlando International Airport, is coming in Phase II) is approaching the level of the elevated train tracks. Check out the video, below.
In Downtown Miami, construction on the massive 11-acre MiamiCentral is progressing. Installation of the Florida I Beams (FIB’s) continuing, things are moving smoothly at the MiamiCentral Brightline station. Once the FIB’s are installed, work will begin on the elevated train tracks. The tracks will be installed on a slab, which will be cast on top of the FIB’s. In addition, the process of excavating for all of the rail infrastructure foundations is now complete and about 90 percent of the columns have been cast.
Just on the other side of the Miami-Dade County Overtown Transit Village, 3 MiamiCentral is also rising. In just a couple of months, the building has reached its tenth floor! Shoring for the fourth level parking garage has been completed and the installation of glass panels on the third level, below the office tower, is underway. Going forward, construction crews at 3 MiamiCentral will continue with rough plumbing, electrical work and HVAC ductwork installation, in addition to casting sections of the ninth and tenth floors.
Tri-Rail Launches Miami Link Website, Announces Service “As Early As” December Next Year
With funds in place, its grand Downtown Miami station under construction courtesy All Aboard Florida, and expectations of daily train service beginning “as early as” December of 2017, Trii-Rail has launched a website for its latest and greatest expansion into Downtown. The site includes data on the project as well as a video simulation recorded on Google Earth of the route into the urban core. Check out the video below. As it shows, this is a very significant step toward rail expansion in Miami. It’s also a reminder of just how much underdeveloped land there is in what really is the heart of the city. If we really want things to change, why aren’t we building more there?
Holy Crap, All Aboard Florida May Build Two Super Towers Downtown Instead of One
All Aboard Florida has not canceled the ‘supertower’ at its Downtown MiamiCentral terminal and is planning another development, possibly another ‘supertower’ next door, according to somebody involved with the project. The second tower would go on the block to the south, which is being enlarged by rerouting an adjacent street. According to The Next Miami, the new tower will be a 750 room hotel, making it the largest in the City of Miami, although our source was unable to confirm or deny this. Meanwhile, although construction on either tower has not begun yet, they are seriously hustling on the rest of the terminal megaproject.