Date: June 5-10, 2016

Location: Broward County, FL

Sponsor: Broward County, City of Sunrise, The Arena Operating Company (Florida Panthers), and Metropica Holdings, LLC

Subject Area:  Comprehensive Redevelopment

Panel Chair:
Richard Golis, Principal
The Concord Group, LLC

ULI BBT Broward Panel (June 2016) – Final Presentation
ULI BBT Broward Panel (June 2016) – Final Report

Background and Panel Assignment

The Broward County Civic Arena, commonly known as the “BB&T Center” is a major multi-purpose entertainment and sports venue. It was designed and constructed for professional hockey, sports, entertainment, and community events. Completed in 1998, the BB&T Center is roughly half way through its estimated economic life of 30-35 years. As a first-tier arena, the BB&T Center is home to a mix of sporting events, major artists, and entertainment performances that attract large audiences. The Florida Panthers professional hockey team is the arena’s primary tenant and play their home games in the facility under a License Agreement with Broward County through 2028.

Broward County sought a comprehensive development vision for transforming the Arena Site into an iconic and dynamic destination that is complimentary to the existing sports and entertainment facility, surrounding neighborhoods, businesses, and developments that are both planned and underway. Development of the site is intended to generate positive economic returns to the cities and the County.

In order to provide the best solution for the BB&T Center site, the panel was tasked with addressing the following issues:

1. Development and economic potential: Short- and long-range development scenarios and challenges given current and projected market conditions.
2. Design and sustainability principles: Potential approaches in an overall development concept.
3. Connectivity: How to better connect the site and maximize its proximity to surrounding areas.
4. Implementation: How to phase development and allow for flexibility to accommodate varying market demands.

Summary of Recommendations

The panel recommends the following:

1. Recognize the district beyond the site.

   1. Support planning that encompasses the broad area.

   2. Propose a connection with Sawgrass Mills.

   3. Support a new northbound ramp to Sawgrass Expressway.

   4. Build an identity for “Downtown West Broward.”

2. Plan for long-term flexibility.

   1. Consider post-2028 scenarios with and without the arena and the Panthers.

   2. Consider gaming, such as a destination/casino resort.

   3. Review the lack of an office and tech employment center.

3. Capture immediate opportunities.

   1. Focus on an entertainment mixed-use core, including a boutique hotel and new housing.

   2. Create a plaza for civic benefit, with programming that engages the community.

   3. Add a sports field with subsurface compensatory stormwater storage.

   4. Promote “edu-tainment” for the wetlands, such as an archaeological site.

   5. Consider demand for family entertainment.

   6. Limit cross-competition in the market.

4. Use all available tools to kick-start community and economic benefits.

   1. Leverage and defer land value gains in public/private partnerships.

   2. Secure a long-term cash-flow stream from the tax base, from a participating ground lease, and from agreements to share net operating income.

5. Champion the site.

   1. Create the Downtown West Broward Leadership Council, with private sector and public official cochairs to manage the process and serve as an advocate for the district overall.

   2. Focus attention on site development; do not wait to schedule meetings; do not delay the process; construct a request for proposals (RFP); and engage the public quickly and efficiently.