Category Archives: Miami

Economic Impact of LeBron James on Miami

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Michael Froomkin

Abstract:

We study the local economic spillovers generated by LeBron James’ presence on a team in the National Basketball Association. Mr. James, the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft, spent the first seven seasons of his career at the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then moved to the Miami Heat in 2010, only to return to Cleveland in 2014. Long considered one of the NBA’s superstars, he has received the league’s MVP award four times, won three NBA championships, and been a part of two victorious US teams at the Olympics. We trace the impact a star of Mr. James’ caliber can have on economic activity by analyzing the impact his departures and arrivals had on business activity close to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat stadiums. We find that Mr. James has a statistically and economically significant positive effect on both the number of restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments near the stadium where he is based, and on aggregate employment at those establishments. Specifically, his presence increases the number of such establishments within one mile of the stadium by about 13%, and employment by about 23.5%. These effects are very local, in that they decay rapidly as one moves farther from the stadium.

— Taking My Talents to South Beach (And Back) by Daniel Shoag, Harvard Kennedy School & Stan Veuger, American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

Posted in Basketball, Econ & Money, Miami | Comments Off on Economic Impact of LeBron James on Miami

Why Miami?

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Michael Froomkin

One of the hazards of living in Miami is that it attracts a certain class of person. Like Matt Drudge. Or the guys who made porn videos in the back of a bus.  And now it seems we get to have the second act of Milo Yiannopoulos.

Why did he have to pick Miami? Not that there are ton of places you can rent a mansion, throw a party, descend a staircase with a python wrapped around you, and then arrange to be surrounded by half-naked women you have imported to add tone to your event and attract photographers. But still, why not LA?

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Police Demand Shop Install Surveillance, Give Cops Full Feed, and also Right to Ban Customers

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Michael Froomkin

This story in the New Times seems outrageous:

But in September, the city suddenly declared the store a nuisance, citing drug deals made nearby. And the Nuisance Abatement Board made a long series of demands, including one that struck Corine as beyond strange: To get back in good standing, she needed to install 24/7 security cameras that would allow police constant live-feed access to the store.

The board also required Corine give police the power to remove people from her property. Officers quickly made a list of people the police department had decided were banned from Bradley’s and began arresting people for trespassing, though Corine says they were just shopping.

via Bradley's Market In Overtown Sues City After Police Demand Constant Surveillance, Boot Customers | Miami New Times.

There is a slight twist to the backstory: after a generation or two as one of Miami’s most blighted neighborhoods, Overtown is now suddenly the target of redevelopment. So part of the story may be an attempt to drive out a store that is surrounded by vacant lots in order to make up a nice parcel….

Posted in Miami, Surveillance | Comments Off on Police Demand Shop Install Surveillance, Give Cops Full Feed, and also Right to Ban Customers

She Does it Again

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Michael Froomkin

Someone serious really needs to run against Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle.

Prosecutors say no crime was committed in scalding death of Miami inmate:

The corrections officers who locked a schizophrenic man in a shower for nearly two hours — a shower that some inmates say was used as a means to punish unruly prisoners with blistering hot water — committed no crime, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle announced Friday.

The state attorney’s two-year investigation into the June 23, 2012, death of Darren Rainey at Dade Correctional Institution concluded that the officers — Sgt. John Fan Fan, Cornelius Thompson, Ronald Clarke and Edwina Williams — did not act with premeditation, malice, recklessness, ill-will, hatred or evil intent when they herded Rainey into the shower.

Uh-huh.

(Note the Friday afternoon dump to minimize news coverage.)

Update: The local New Times pulls no punches, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami’s Top Prosecutor, Is a Disgrace.

Posted in Law: Criminal Law, Miami | 6 Comments

Happy New Year?

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Michael Froomkin

I cannot think of any year I have looked forward to with more anxiety and gloom than 2017. But maybe low expectations is the secret to getting through it.

Meanwhile, here’s the Miami New Times’s list of The Weirdest 2016 WTF Florida Stories, including “Malachi Love-Robinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Florida Alligators Galore!”

Posted in Miami | 1 Comment

2016 Ballot Recommendations — Coral Gables Charter Amendments

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

Only one of these amendments, number five, is really significant; otherwise I don’t think a lot rides on these–although I am going to vote against a couple of them in an excess of caution. The Charter Amendment process is really more a lost opportunity to do interesting things than anything else.

Amendment One YES It abolishes a Trial Board of Appeal that hasn’t done anything for a very long time.

Amendment Two NO Creates a method for removing Commissioners in case of incapacity. I am not aware that this has been an actual problem in the recent past, and it does create a theoretical avenue for abuse, so why look for trouble.

Amendment Three YES  The Mayor currently appoints the Vice Mayor, this puts that in the Charter. OK, whatever.

Amendment Four NO (?) Same issue as with Amendment Two; but this is actually a closer call than #2 because it aligns Coral Gables with state law procedures. So I can see why some people might think this was wise, or even necessary. Currently under the Charter it takes a 4/5 vote to censure or remove a Commissioner. This might make it easier to remove a Commissioner, but arguably the state rules control anyway.

Amendment Five YES! This will create a runoff procedure. That’s a good thing. I proposed to the Charter Revision Committee that they go for STV, also known as ‘instant runoff voting’ because they are fairer and cheaper, but they demurred on the grounds that it was ‘too complicated’ and ‘too hard to explain’ to voters. I think that was a great pity, but some runoff is better than none, given that currently Commissioners are getting elected with much less than 50% of the vote.

Posted in 2016 Election, Coral Gables | Comments Off on 2016 Ballot Recommendations — Coral Gables Charter Amendments