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LIFESTYLE, MSM Online, The Issue, Traveler

New Year, New Adventures

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By Dawn Wilson While you’re sitting there taking stock of your life and considering what awaits you this New Year, why not consider doing something totally unexpected. You may read about some exciting and adventurous activities that people participate in and say to yourself that you could never do that. Well, think again. You can do it! Put all of your inhibitions behind you and think about how exciting it would actually be to be one of the people telling the story rather than listening to the stories. Instead of listening to everyone else’s stories, start making your own. Life can be short. No one knows or understands this better than someone who experiences an unexpected tragedy in his or her life. There is no time than the present, because tomorrow is never promised to you. Now is the time to step out on fate and just go for it! You know what they say, ‘Go big or go home!’ 2016 is a New Year offering New Adventures. Start planning yours today. Consider these over-the-top adventures for 2016: Base Jumping Tandem BASE (Twin Falls, Idaho) We often think of the most insane things that people do and base-jumping is probably one of them. However, you have to wonder what’s so exciting about throwing yourself off a bridge. You’ll never know until you try it for yourself. At Tandem BASE in Twin Falls, Idaho, you are paired with an experienced instructor who has successfully made hundreds of jumps. The jump begins 486 ft. above the Snake River Canyon, where you will eventually cascade. It isn’t unusual to have your reservations about doing something like base-jumping, however, rest assured that you are in good hands. Safety is the #1 priority of everyone at Tandem BASE. For more information, please visit www.tandembase.com Aerobatics Sky Combat Ace (Las Vegas, Nevada) Adrenaline junkies will love Sky Combat Ace. There are several exciting experiences offered to you: aerobatics, air combat, extreme sightseeing and more. Whichever you decide to do, any of these activities will surely give you bragging rights. Sky Combat Ace has a perfect safety record with no injuries since opening in 2011. Safety always has been and will continue to be a priority at Sky Combat Ace. For more information, please visit www.skycombatace.com Heli Boarding Chugach Powder Guides (Anchorage, Alaska) If you enjoy skiing or snowboarding but are looking to break out of your comfort zone, Chugach Powder Guides may be just what you are looking for. With approximately 750,000 miles of skiing terrain and 700 inches of snowfall, you have every advantage needed to start your snowcat skiing or helicopter boarding adventure. If you’ve never tried your hands at either of these before, here’s your chance. For more information, please visit www.chugachpowderguides.com Shark Diving Hawaii Shark Encounters (Oahu, Hawaii) If shark diving has been on your bucket list for a while now, why not make 2016 the year to check it off your list. You can do this when you visit Hawaii Shark Encounters. You are able to come into contact with sharks in their natural habitat, the deep blue ocean. The experience is informative and invigorating. No scuba experience is necessary to engage in this type of adventure. You have nothing to fear as the Poly Glass windows of the cage protect you from the sharks. For more information, please visit www.hawaiisharkencounters.com Zipline Along the Fastest, Longest, & Highest Canopy Tour in North America New York Zipline Adventure Tours (Hunter Mountain, New York) So you’re thinking that there is nothing to this since you’ve zip lined before. This zip line tour has a slight twist to it; it’s done at night. This means you don’t know what you’ll see as you transverse through the forest in the dark. With only the moon as your main source of light, you’ll go on 6 zip lines and 4 rope bridges. Finally, you will rappel 65 ft. to your final destination. Zip lining at night makes it much more of an adventure than doing it in the sunlight. For more information, please visit www.ziplinenewyork.com Paragliding Proflyght Paragliding (Maui, Hawaii) Soar high in the sky with Proflyght Paragliding. At Proflyght, you can paraglide with a certified instructor or learn to fly solo. There are plenty of chances to get up the nerve to take that leap of faith since Proflyght flies in every season, weather permitting. Located in Maui, Proflyght Paragliding offers you the opportunity to see the wonders of the world from the best vantage point possible, high in the sky. For more information, please visit www.paraglidemaui.com Bobsledding Utah Olympic Park (Park City, Utah) You’ve gone skiing and snowboarding so now it’s time to step things up with something a bit more unexpected, bobsledding. Can you honestly say that you know many people who have actually gone bobsledding? Not many of us can. However, when visiting Park City, Utah, you can actually go bobsledding on the 2002 Olympic Sliding Track, with a trained professional. You’ll have to do your part in steering the sled in order for it to maintain maximum speed. See how it feels to go at top speed down a narrow track confined, three people to a sled. It is an adrenaline rush that you can’t imagine. For more information, please visit www.utaholympicslegacy.org Ice Climbing Ouray Ice Park (Ouray, Colorado) Now here is something you don’t hear about people doing every day, ice climbing. If you’re considering doing something that none of your friends have ever done, ice climbing may just be the ticket. Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, Colorado, offers over 200 climbing structures, all of which are actually man-made. Several guide services operate within the park and are available to assist you in getting started on your ice climbing adventure. All you need to bring with you is a little courage, which you’ll certainly need to get through this adventure. For more information, please visit www.ourayicepark.com Click here to view this post in the MSM January/February 2016 digital issue

Business, News & Entertainment, The Issue

Michael Capponi & Gideon Kimbrell: Taking Entrepreneurship to the Next Level

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By Angela Betancourt Photographed by Akram Soliman Miami Beach was not always the desirable city it is today. Its transformation is due large in part to visionaries who saw the city not for what it was, but for what it could be. One such visionary is Michael Capponi, an entrepreneur and humanitarian who has played a major role in shaping Miami’s nightlife industry. For the past 20 years, he has been one of Miami’s most prominent business figures and the gatekeeper to the hottest clubs in the city. His influence is legendary and it’s no surprise that his latest venture has become an instant success. Capponi partnered with software engineer and tech expert Gideon Kimbrell to create InList: a new members-only mobile app that is propelling the nightlife industry into the future. InList provides access to the hottest venues, restaurants, and parties around the world right at your fingertips. The app currently features hundreds of venues in more than 45 cities around the world including Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Paris, Ibiza, Saint-Tropez, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Since its launch, it has had more than 100,000 downloads. “It was an underserved market,” said Capponi who saw the tremendous potential to combine nightlife with technology in today’s connected world. “This is the future of nightlife.” InList uses a proprietary concierge model that allows app users to make dinner reservations, book a table at a club, or secure access to a special event right on their phone. The venues are selected by special “InList ambassadors” around the globe. These ambassadors are highly connected people tasked to hand-select the best events in their cities. The team plans on launching InList in new markets, incorporate more major events, and introduce a new ticketing category. “There are a lot of things we want to do but we want to make sure we execute it properly,” said Kimbrell. Bringing the worlds of nightlife and technology together is just one of Capponi’s many projects. In addition to being a nightlife pioneer, he is also an influential figure in the construction industry and a passionate humanitarian. Capponi has built and restored some of the most beautiful homes in Miami. He is the recipient of several awards including the Renovation Firm of the Year Award from the Developers and Builders Alliance. Recently he joined forces with Shear Construction & Management to form Capponi Shear Construction. The company builds and restores homes from Star Island to Indian Creek that range from $4 million to $50 million. For Capponi, restoration also plays a role in his charitable work. He is the founder of the Haiti Empowerment Mission, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization with the goal to empower the people of Haiti by providing quality education, diverse vocational training, and job creation. After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Capponi and his team were one of the first people on the ground to help. In the past six years, he has been there more than 70 times. “The first 20 or so of those trips were mission trips to help on a humanitarian level to bring them food and medical attention,” Capponi explained. After that, his trips were about housing, education, and helping in boosting tourism as one of the pathways to sustainability. “We spent a lot of time promoting Haiti as a tourism destination.” Capponi knows there are still challenges to overcome in the country, especially when it comes to non-profit organizations, but he recognizes that progress is being made. Whether he is revolutionizing the nightlife industry, beautifying Miami with his construction projects, or improving lives in Haiti, Capponi’s innovative spirit and vision for the future is making a lasting impact that will be felt for years to come. “We all have the same motives–to create business models that better the world somehow.” For more information on InList, please visit www.InList.com Click here to view this post in the September/October 2015 digital issue Click here to view the online issue

Fashion, Interviews, Luxury, The Issue

Jason of Beverly Hills Opens in the Miami Design District

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By Katie Jackson Photography by World Red Eye Since 2002, Jason of Beverly Hills has become the go-to luxury jeweler among Hollywood’s elite. In providing diamond pieces that push limits while also maintaining opulent glamour, the brand has attracted high-profile clients including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey and MSM’s July/August cover model Joanna Krupa. Owner Jason Arasheben has expanded his popular brand from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, to upscale locations in major cities including the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, North Carolina, and now in the heart of the Miami Design District. What began as an appointment-only diamond jeweler quickly grew into a multi-billion dollar operation. “We would design something specific to somebody’s personal style and image, so the DNA of the brand is custom pieces,” said Arasheben. “Then we kind of transcended into building collections.” Drawing inspiration from nature, architecture, fashion, and even cars, the brand’s collections are anything but ordinary. “We like to think out of the box and we like to be eccentric,” said Arasheben. “I always say that this is not your grandmother’s jewelry. If I make a piece and my mother hates it, I say okay, this is perfect.” The brand recently drew attention with their ADDICTED collection, featuring pieces like diamond encrusted pill pendants and syringe rings. “Everyone has an addiction to something,” said Arasheben. “This is an addiction to diamonds.” Though controversial, the collection has become a favorite among notable celebrities. “Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Lindsay Lohan have all purchased pieces from the ADDICTED collection,” said Arasheben. As for the fourth flagship location, Arasheben is thrilled to bring Jason of Beverly Hills to Miami. “The great thing about Miami is that the culture and vibe of the city is very much in line with the identity of our brand,” said Arasheben. “There’s a strong nightlife, people like to have fun, and there are a lot of South Americans who are big fans of our brand, so it was really the perfect alignment.” Jason of Beverly Hills is located at 140 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137 For more information on Jason of Beverly Hills, please visit www.jasonofbh.com Click here to view this post in our September/October 2015 digital issue Click here to view the online issue

Culinary, The Issue

Scott Conant: The Man Behind the Glasses

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By Nycole Sariol Photography by Nick Garcia (Blindlight Studio)  Scott Conant receives a lot of flak from his critics. His sometimes brutally honest appraisal of dishes whipped together with off-the-wall ingredients by amateur chefs, oftentimes earns him the role of the “mean guy” on the Food Network’s competition series Chopped. But there’s something he’d like to declare: “I’m much nicer than they make me look.” It’s true; the laugh-happy guy behind a pair of thick- framed Dita Whitehall eyeglasses is as nice as they come, and was proven so during our interview on an ordinary Monday afternoon. In his defense, Scott says the edits and strategic cuts attribute much to his sharp-tongue moments on the show. “The way they edit sometimes makes us look a little more direct and less caring of people’s feelings, which couldn’t be further from the truth.” Typically, the depletion of one’s self-moral usually ensues after cinematographic adjustments such as these, evolving into a self-fulfilling prophecy so to speak. But for Scott, he takes all the mean-guy mumbo jumbo with a grain of salt, and instead, embraces all the quirks that come along with the biz. “I smile a lot in person, and I think that’s always edited out,” says the award-winning chef, “but it essentially makes for a better show. I doubt I’d be on people’s lips at all if I was just a ‘nice guy.’ So I deal with it.” In fact being pinned as the Chopped bully has its unforeseen benefits. And instead of being punished, he was granted his very own commercial and partnership with the luxury car brand, Infiniti. The 31-second commercial depicts Scott on his day off picking up a pie of pizza, and his friends, in a 2015 Infiniti QX80. The gist of the commercial was warm and trustworthy, and it drove the haters into a feeding frenzy. “I get a lot of grief for that – a chef doing a car commercial, right?” he laughs. “The commercial was very much like me – approachable. There are haters obviously, but you know you’re doing something right when you have haters,” he quips. “The commercial was very personalized and that’s why it resonated so well on camera.” Moreover, the Infiniti brand is a part of Scott’s vehicular DNA, stating that he has “driven a number of Infiniti’s over the years. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t stand behind it,” quieting the haters with a just testimony. But Scott has nothing to prove or disprove in the kitchen; actually, it’s where all his hate mail comes to die. Having opened award-winning restaurants such as L’Impero in Manhattan back in 2002, and Scarpetta, planted in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and here in Miami at The Fontainebleau, the 30-year vet knows not of the word “worry.” Nor does he have time for it. Especially now that he has rooted his latest dining concept, Corsair, on the Champion Miller golf course of Aventura’s Turnberry Isle Resort, nine-weeks back. And thus far, the farmhouse- cum-restaurant has hoarded nothing but praise flooding through its doors. “So far, it has received a lot of positive feedback; it’s definitely a different market than Miami itself,” says Scott. “Since the beginning, business has been well, and it’s a lot different than Scarpetta.” The mood at Corsair is rustic; and tangible surroundings like its open kitchen concept, clean white tile backsplash, studded, tufted bar stools, and old-world geometric tiled floor play up its rusticity. Alongside New York design boutique, Meyer Davis Studio, who also takes credit for Lure Fishbar’s interior, Scott wanted to create a refined albeit comfortable space that would dignify Corsair’s Mediterranean-inspired menu. “Essentially, it gives the feeling of what the food would be like if you were eating in a farmhouse. It’s a three-meal restaurant, so it has a more casual feel,” he says of his intermittent seasonal menus that shape the restaurant’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner services. Casual, however, does not mean that the quality of food and luxe flavors have been abandoned at Corsair, but elevated instead. Juxtaposing a farmhouse authenticity with quintessential Mediterranean plates gives way to dishes like the Short Rib Lasagna, a house favorite.“It’s not a traditional lasagna,”Scott says of his version on the Italian classic. He’s right; traditionalism is nowhere to be found beneath the flux of black truffle shavings topping the meaty bed of Fonduta cheese, tender short rib, and locally sourced winter vegetables comprising the lasagna life-changer. It’s plain to see that every one of his menu offerings consist of an unexpected twist of some sort. Take Corsair’s pancakes for example, or “sexy” pancakes, as Scott calls them. Instead of the humdrum likes of maple syrup, Scott pours chamomile cream down their soufflé-like ridges. Though Mediterranean flavors and unconventional interpretations have a strong presence at the restaurant, children have also been a huge influence over its menu options, and more specifically, its a la carte menu. “We just started an a la carte menu a few weeks back and the one thing I took into consideration were the children staying at the hotel. So, I had to take a different approach to a lot of things, which has mainly been to cater to families,” says the proud father of two. Aside from the recent downpour of attention at Corsair’s doorstep, hearsay of Scott opening up another compost in New York has been something of a culinary innuendo. “I’ve got ways to go on that,” he speaks of his next foray on the restaurant scene, Conant. “Right now, my focus is really Corsair: making sure the hotel is happy with it, making sure I’m happy with it, and making sure the management is in a good place. Only then will I turn to my next project.” What Scott doesn’t know is that turning point might rear its head sooner than he expects, judging from the crowned success of the nine-week old restaurant. But until that day of Conant’s alleged arrival in New York, Floridians will assemble to a farmhouse on a

The Issue, Traveler

Rediscovering Las Vegas

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By Angela Betancourt From “Sin City” to a world-class city, Las Vegas has undergone a major transformation over the past several years. It’s embarked on a mission to go beyond its infamous reputation and expand its audience in order to remain one of the world’s leading tourism destinations. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) announced that in 2013 $3.6 billion was invested into new attractions, amenities, and experiences. The rise of luxury resort hotels, award- winning restaurants, a downtown revitalization, and other revamping initiatives, helped Las Vegas attract nearly 40 million new visitors in 2013. With so many new and exciting things unfolding, Las Vegas craves to be rediscovered. Yes, you can still get caught up in shenanigans, but now is a great time to explore how much more Las Vegas has to offer. It’s hard to top that kind of an experience, but Vegas will welcome you back from the Grand Canyon with a long list of exciting new things yet to be discovered. Catch Wicked at The Smith Center, Sing along at the Britney Spears Concert, or dance the night away at LiFE Nightclub; the possibilities are endless. Getting there It’s never been easier to travel to Las Vegas; especially from South Florida. On October 29th, JetBlue celebrated the launch of its new direct flight from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) to McCarran International Airport (LAS). The airline celebrated with a cocktail launch party on the 28th at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and charmed passengers with games and giveaways during the inaugural flight.   Where to stay Selecting a hotel in Vegas can be overwhelming. In 2013 the city had 150,593 hotel rooms; a number which grew with the addition of several new hotels. Among those hotels is the Delano Las Vegas which opened in September. Formerly, THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, the Delano Las Vegas is a collaboration between MGM Resorts International and the Morgans Hotel Group; the creators of the Delano South Beach. While there are some South Beach influences, the Delano Las Vegas stands apart by paying homage to the Mohave dessert. Two enormous boulders greet you when you enter the hotel. The lobby is a harmony of warm woods and giant columns draped with white sheers. A rug with a depiction of the Colorado River guides you to the front desk as you pass a suspended rock sculpture by Korean artist Jaehyo Lee. There are 1,117 luxurious room suites, a 14,000 square-foot-spa called The BATHHOUSE, and no casino in sight. The ambiance is zen-like; an escape from the frantic energy found just outside the hotel doors. Culinary Adventure Las Vegas is climbing the culinary ranks at tremendous speed. Delia’s Kitchen in the Delano is a great place to begin a culinary journey around the city. The farm-to-table concept offers scrumptious items like Blue Crab Benedicts made with artisan brie, spinach, and roasted tomato; and the Tuscan Kale made with organic quinoa, Chenel goat cheese, sun-dried cranberries, and walnuts. For coffee lovers, the Delano’s 3940 Coffee and Tea cafe, is the perfect place to grab artisan roast coffees, teas, fresh juices, and specialty drinks like the S’mores Mocha. Continue your culinary journey at Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Meaning “revelry,” Jaleo is the creation of famed Chef Jose Andres, the mastermind behind the Bazaar at the SLS Hotel in Miami. He’s evoked the authentic flavors of Spain in an impressive array of tapas and paellas while creating a complete sensory experience. A massive paella grill centerpiece high-jacks your visual focus from the moment you enter. An aromatic symphony of spices dances around the room and the food is vibrant and full of robust flavor. For a more intimate dining experience, head to La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at the Wynn. La Cave’s menu showcases contemporary American cuisine and small-plates created by Chef Billy DeMarco. The dishes were created to harmonize with their extensive wine collection that includes 250 bottles and 50 wines by the glass. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu but there are two items that must be ordered: the mushroom grits and the bacon wrapped dates. A ten minute drive from La Cave is Lao Sze Chaun at the Palms Casino Resort. This authentic Chinese restaurant was created by Chicago Chef Tony Hu. Chef Hu brings his success to the Vegas strip with an expansive selection of Chinese dishes. The menu is wonderfully overwhelming with more than 100 beef, chicken, pork and seafood options. When in doubt, start with the dim sum followed by Tony’s Chicken with Three Chili dish. Buddy Valastro, internationally acclaimed chef and reality TV star of the Cake Boss, opened his first Italian Restaurant, Buddy V’s, at the Venetian. The menu offers Italian-American classics from Valastro family heirloom recipes like Grandma’s Meatballs and Nona’s Lasagna Al Forno. With pictures of the Valastro family along the walls, it feels like you’ve stepped into his grandma’s house for a family dinner. You can’t have a culinary adventure in Las Vegas and not go to a buffet. Consider visiting the mother-ship of all buffets at Caesars Palace for brunch. Not only has it been voted best buffet in Las Vegas, Brunch at Bacchanal is a good deal if you love champagne. On Saturdays and Sundays brunch comes with unlimited bubbly. From chicken and waffles to Japanese curry, and everything in between, this buffet is every foodie’s dream come true. Try everything and anything that catches your eye but leave some room for the mouth watering dessert station. Vegas off the strip Some of the best new things in Las Vegas are hap- pening off Las Vegas Boulevard. About 15 minutes north of the strip is Downtown Las Vegas, home to Fremont Street. Fremont Street is the original “strip” from when the city was founded in 1905. Today, part of this historic street has become the Fremont Street Experience, a five-block canopy-covered entertainment district featuring a plethora of new activities and live musical entertainment that co-ex- ists

LIFESTYLE, MSM Online, Traveler

Experience Las Vegas Like Never Before with JetBlue

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By Angela Betancourt Photography by Ian Ibbetson On October 28th 2014, JetBlue celebrated the route launch of their latest nonstop destinations from Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport – Jacksonville (JAX), Las Vegas (LAS), Pittsburgh (PIT) and Cartagena, Colombia (CTG). The event took place at the Porter Riverview Ballroom at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and featured a variety of hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, and themed cocktails.     Guests were able to get a taste of what each destination has to offer, take pictures with the model in a JetBlue carnival style costume, and collect a variety of fun treats that included flashing Las Vegas pins and a photography book about visiting Columbia. Four lucky guests also won a JetBlue Getaway package to their new “BlueCities.” On departure, each guest received a JetBlue goodie bag with a pair of sunglasses, a small towel, and four artwork prints by artist John Morisson. In celebration of JetBlue’s new direct flight to Las Vegas from Fort Lauderdale, MSM is featuring Las Vegas in the upcoming January/February issue segment of MSM Traveler.

Business, News & Entertainment, The Issue

Is Miami The New Capital of Entertainment?

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An interview with City of Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado on the future of entertainment in his jurisdiction. By Craig K. Skilling / Photographed by Imani Ogden On a sunny South Florida day, in his Coconut Grove office with a view fit for a mayor overlooking Biscayne Bay, Miami’s outspoken government official, City of Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado sits with MSM to discuss the future of entertainment in his jurisdiction. “I don’t agree that (Las) Vegas is the only place for entertainment. Miami has its own niche in terms of entertainment,” says Mayor Tomás Regalado. “Miami I think is the capitol of entertainment for the Latin community,” says the mayor. The mayor’s Film & Cultural Affairs Administrator Vicente “Vinnie” Betancourt, also present in the room, mentions that Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and the entire Rat Pack had an impact on live entertainment in Miami and South Beach before taking their talents to the Las Vegas strip. Many from around the globe are familiar with the major electronic music festival that takes place annually called Ultra. It’s been approximately fifteen year’s since the festival’s modest inception on ocean drive in south beach. This past year in downtown Miami the internationally recognized dance festival that coincides with college spring break, brought in well over a quarter of a million dollars in revenue to the City of Miami economy but was faced with controversy and several complaints by downtown Miami residents. The mayor says he has been very clear on his position and that “the Ultra music festival organizers will need to be safer moving forward or risk being moved from their downtown location.” “This will be the last test because you cannot afford the various problems in downtown, an area that boasts 13,000 residents in the Ultra area alone. These are residents of downtown who are very marketing oriented in terms of attending our local sport venues, museums, the (Adrienne) Arsht Center. These are people who are mostly professionals or retired professionals and they want a quality of life that they demand from us which is why they pay so much taxes,” says the mayor. When asked why Ultra is returning to downtown Miami for another year since he feels so strongly about moving the festival out of downtown, he responded by saying, “The mayor and commissioner do not vote.” The city commission voted to give them (Ultra) another chance and there was nothing we could do.” He then stated, “Hopefully they come back ready because some people died and when people die that is a game changer.” When asked if there was ever a formal plan put into place to spawn the rapid growth of entertainment in Miami as a whole, he responded by saying, “We never had a plan for entertainment. Everything has been market driven. The success of our professional (basketball) team the Miami Heat, the Arsht Center, Wynwood galleries, second Saturdays of the month where 30,000 people walk the same streets of Wynwood, would not have happened six years ago due to crime but is all happening and thriving today due to the people driving the market,” states the mayor. The mayor explained that the entertainment district, Parkwest, was approved for nightclubs to be open twenty four hours a day and how the city approved and facilitated the bid for the business improvement district. “Basically, property owners pay more taxes but use the tax increment as they wish not as the government wishes,” explains the mayor. The incentive has been made evident in Wynwood and Coconut Grove where entertainment and business has expanded. Again the mayor points out that everything that happens is truly market driven. The one area that some City of Miami residents still have a concern for is public safety. There have been reports that the City of Miami police department is being downsized and has several vacant positions to fill upon budget approval. The mayor admits that “what has to happen is to take public safety to a higher level and make it impossible for criminals to be downtown with this rapid growth taking place.” Some South Florida and downtown residents specifically may recall a time when the homeless would flood the downtown streets panhandling. When the mayor was asked, How did you handle this? he replied by saying, “compassion but not tolerance”. “The City of Miami went to court to change a mandate that was done by the Federal court many years ago and are getting ready to move the homeless and take them to shelters to clear out the area completely, even by force (if necessary),” the mayor explains. The mayor mentions he is very excited about the sci- ence museum downtown that will bring more people to the area especially families. This is a big initiative for Mayor Regalado and he envisions over 100,000 students and children visiting the area and museum over the next school year. “The vision is for Downtown Miami to be an educational and festive entertainment center highlighted by a museum park, the Adrienne Arsht Center, sport- ing events and concerts,” explains the mayor. The mayor stated that Miami has its very own Walk of Fame. It is located in the heart of downtown Miami, at the Bayside Market place which is the number one tourist attraction with over 20 million visitors throughout the year. They recently hosted the inaugural Brito designed Walk of Fame celebration this past spring for inductees including the Rio 2 film, along with Academy and Grammy award winning actor, singer and songwriter Jamie Foxx and actor and Miamian Andy Garcia. The official Miami Walk of Fame will continue to honor those who have contributed to the charisma, worldwide prominence and name recognition of Miami through film/television, music, sports or honorary means. The mayor says, “The film industry looks at Miami as an important place to be with our colorful sites, beautiful weather and more. It is sad that the Florida State government does not facilitate and provide more benefits. We facilitate issuing over seven hundred permits per year along with supporting the Miami Dade

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