Powerboat racing coming back to Miami

Back in the '70s and '80s, boat racing enthusiasts from around the world gathered in Miami to watch powerboat events.

That stopped after 1992, when the Miami Marine Stadium, which could seat more than 6,000 people, was declared unsafe in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. The structure became a haven for graffiti artists.

It took 25 years for the city to finally get a restoration plan underway, and now the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is eager to bring back powerboats to the bay.

And its first partner will be a company from China.

The GMCVB and Shenzhen Tianrong Sports Culture Management signed a letter of intent on April 7 to hold an F1H2O Formula 1 Powerboat Race in Miami in May 2018.

Tianrong Sports, a Shenzhen-based company that focuses on operating and investing in international sports, is the exclusive institution authorized by the Union Internationale Motonautique to hold F1H20 races in China, Australia and the UK.

If the race happens as planned, Miami will be the first US city to hold an F1H20 race.

"(Powerboat racing) will become very popular in the US because of what's going to happen at the marine stadium. All of the sudden, people will say, 'Oh my god, it's back,'" said Bruce Orosz, chairman of GMCVB, after playing a video of the final stretch of a 1987 powerboat race at the venue.

"With our experience in holding boat races, we will help promote tourism in Miami," said Li Haojie, chairman of Tianrong Sports.

Don Worth, co-founder of Restore Marine Stadium, came to the letter-signing with a binder of old photos of the stadium and powerboat races held there. He has been advocating for the restoration of the stadium for nine years.

"I am so happy today," said Worth. "There is no more famous place for boat racing than here. We are bringing it back."

Li first decided to enter the sports business 13 years ago after visiting the US. "I saw the opportunities of building up a sports culture in China," said Li.

But he never expected that 13 years later he would be helping the US to bring back its water sports. "It's magical," he said.

He wants to see his own powerboat team, CTIC F1 China Team, which won three consecutive world championships from 2014 to 2016, compete in the Magic City.

hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com