Center of Dreams

Building a World-Class Performing Arts Complex in Miami

Les Standiford

• Publisher: University Press of Florida
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9780813063409
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: History of Architecture
• Index: History

Discover how one spectacular building project revolutionized Miami, how one man's moxie helped turn a fractious tropical city into a cultural capital of the Americas. In Center of Dreams, New York Times bestselling author Les Standiford tells the inspiring story of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. The vision for this building, which would become the most ambitious cultural arts complex since the Kennedy Center, began in an unlikely place and time. Miami in the 1970s was divided by social and ethnic tensions. The city comprised a growing population of immigrants from the Cuban revolution, a well-established African American community, Florida "crackers," and a continual influx of tourists and retirees. Critics said a cultural center would never be possible in a place of such extreme diversity. But Parker Thomson, a lawyer and Boston transplant, knew his adopted city could become a world-leading community in the twenty-first century. He believed a performing arts center was critical to this vision. Everyone said his dream was impossible, he would never succeed, it couldn't be done. Not in Miami. But Thomson persevered against political opposition, economic roadblocks, and engineering problems. It took thirty years to overcome the odds and the obstacles, but he finally made the dream a reality. With Thomson's efforts, along with help from cultural leaders, iconic design work by architect Cesar Pelli, and support from philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, the center opened its doors in 2006 with a star-studded gala. Today the Arsht Center is a cutting-edge venue of style and art, a landmark beloved by the city's residents, and a magnet for tourists from all over the world. Presenting performances that celebrate the richness of Miami's diverse population, it showcases emerging local artists and attracts international stars. Resident companies include the New World Symphony, the Florida Grand Opera, and the Miami City Ballet. Its improbable story is a testament to the influence of cultural advocacy, the importance of government support for the arts, and the power of the arts to repair and sustain communities.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction: More Than Just a Building
• Part I. A Snowball’s Chance in Miami: Finding Consensus on the Performing Arts Center, November 1972 to December 1988
• Part II. Firm Hand at the Wheel: Finding the Money and Finding a Site, December 1988 to July 1993
• Part III. Task at Hand: Battles over Design and Budget, July 1993 to December 2000
• Part IV. If You Build It: Cost Escalations, Finger Pointing, Grand Opening, Almost Closing, December 2000 to the Present
• Acknowledgments
• Note on Sources
• Index