The Coconut Grove Convention Center (formerly the Dinner Key Auditorium, also known as the Coconut Grove Expo Center), was an indoor arena and exhibition hall in Miami, Florida. It originally had been built as a hangar at International Pan American Airport in Dinner Key. The venue closed in 2005 and was used as a production studio for six years. The building was demolished in 2013 and the site is now home to Regatta Park.[2]
The building opened in 1917 as a hangar of the Dinner Key Naval Air Facility. The base was decommissioned in 1945 and sold to the city a year later. The main hangar was converted in 1950 into a non-air conditioned exhibition hall that doubled as an arena.
This was the site of the March 1, 1969 incident in which Jim Morrison of The Doors was arrested for allegedly exposing himself to the audience.[3][4]
The Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association played some of their home games at the auditorium in the 1969–70 season.[5] Because the building was not air-conditioned, management would throw open the doors, forcing players to adjust their shots by the ocean breezes that whistled onto the court. The team finished with a 23–61 record.[6][7]
More recently, Burn Notice, a USA Network drama series, used the Convention Center for production of the show. In 2012, however, Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff expressed a desire to raze the Center and build a bay-front park, noting a $1.8 million city cache in grant dollars for the project.[8]
For the seventh and final season in 2013, USA Network agreed to use the Center with an increase of its rent from $240,000 to $450,000 a year -- just enough to cover the city's demolition costs, plus taxes, a studio spokeswoman confirmed. The Coconut Grove Convention Center was torn down in November 2013.[9]
References
^"Fall Shows". Boating. New York City, New York: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. July 1978. p. 105. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
^Viglucci, Andres (September 30, 2015). "Long-promised Regatta Park opens on Coconut Grove waterfront". Miami Herald. McClatchy Company. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
^Burks, John (December 10, 2010). "Jim Morrison's Indecency Arrest: Rolling Stone's Original Coverage" [April 5, 1969 Issue of Rolling Stone]. Rolling Stone. Penske Business Media.
^Mary Werbelow, Jim Morrison and the Doors 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine - URL retrieved June 18, 2006
^McGRORY, KATHLEEN (10 August 2012). "Burn Notice; We'll Write the Scripts, Thanks". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
^"Did Jim Morrison unzip here? A look back at the wild days of the Dinner Key Auditorium". Miami Herald. McClatchy Company. October 29, 2019. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
coconut, grove, convention, center, formerly, dinner, auditorium, also, known, coconut, grove, expo, center, indoor, arena, exhibition, hall, miami, florida, originally, been, built, hangar, international, american, airport, dinner, venue, closed, 2005, used, . The Coconut Grove Convention Center formerly the Dinner Key Auditorium also known as the Coconut Grove Expo Center was an indoor arena and exhibition hall in Miami Florida It originally had been built as a hangar at International Pan American Airport in Dinner Key The venue closed in 2005 and was used as a production studio for six years The building was demolished in 2013 and the site is now home to Regatta Park 2 Coconut Grove Convention CenterFormer namesDinner Key Auditorium 1951 80s Address2700 S Bayshore DrMiami FL 33133LocationCoconut GroveOwnerC ity of MiamiCapacity6 900ConstructionOpenedJanuary 24 1951 1951 01 24 Renovated1978 1 ClosedMarch 2004 2004 03 DemolishedNovember 5 2013 2013 11 05 TenantsMiami Floridians ABA 1969 70 Florida Jets NRD 1970 History EditThe building opened in 1917 as a hangar of the Dinner Key Naval Air Facility The base was decommissioned in 1945 and sold to the city a year later The main hangar was converted in 1950 into a non air conditioned exhibition hall that doubled as an arena This was the site of the March 1 1969 incident in which Jim Morrison of The Doors was arrested for allegedly exposing himself to the audience 3 4 The Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association played some of their home games at the auditorium in the 1969 70 season 5 Because the building was not air conditioned management would throw open the doors forcing players to adjust their shots by the ocean breezes that whistled onto the court The team finished with a 23 61 record 6 7 More recently Burn Notice a USA Network drama series used the Convention Center for production of the show In 2012 however Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff expressed a desire to raze the Center and build a bay front park noting a 1 8 million city cache in grant dollars for the project 8 For the seventh and final season in 2013 USA Network agreed to use the Center with an increase of its rent from 240 000 to 450 000 a year just enough to cover the city s demolition costs plus taxes a studio spokeswoman confirmed The Coconut Grove Convention Center was torn down in November 2013 9 References Edit Fall Shows Boating New York City New York Ziff Davis Publishing Company July 1978 p 105 Retrieved December 31 2019 Viglucci Andres September 30 2015 Long promised Regatta Park opens on Coconut Grove waterfront Miami Herald McClatchy Company Archived from the original on January 1 2020 Retrieved December 31 2019 Burks John December 10 2010 Jim Morrison s Indecency Arrest Rolling Stone s Original Coverage April 5 1969 Issue of Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Penske Business Media Mary Werbelow Jim Morrison and the Doors Archived 2012 10 25 at the Wayback Machine URL retrieved June 18 2006 Grasso John November 15 2010 Historical Dictionary of Basketball Lanham Maryland Scarecrow Press p 233 ISBN 978 0810867635 Tays Alan December 11 2005 For Today ABA s Floridians More than a Memory Palm Beach Post Retrieved 18 April 2011 Remember the ABA The Floridians McGRORY KATHLEEN 10 August 2012 Burn Notice We ll Write the Scripts Thanks The Miami Herald Retrieved 27 December 2012 Did Jim Morrison unzip here A look back at the wild days of the Dinner Key Auditorium Miami Herald McClatchy Company October 29 2019 Archived from the original on December 31 2019 Retrieved December 31 2019 Coordinates 25 43 42 N 80 14 11 W 25 728391 N 80 236465 W 25 728391 80 236465 This article about a sports venue in Florida is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article related to a building or structure in Miami is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Coconut Grove Convention Center amp oldid 1055302172, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
