“The city’s contribution is some real money and we don’t want to be in a Performing Arts situation.”

It’s been called a “marriage,” a “change of heart,” a “dance,” a “slippery slope,” “suffering” and “visionary.” It’s often called a “risk.”

Now what’s more certain is that a deal cut between the city of Miami Beach and the New World Symphony for the musical organization’s new $135 million performance facility — complete with park, high-tech sound stage and parking garage — will at least “move forward.”

But first a public workshop date has been scheduled to work out the final details — which may include the city allocating another $15 million to the nonprofit teaching orchestra for young gifted classical musicians from all over the world, and, perhaps, determine the fate of the Art Deco building where it is now headquartered.

New World Symphony has called the 68-year-old Lincoln Theatre at 541 Lincoln Road home since 1988, the year famed conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and Carnival Cruise Line Chairman Ted Arison founded the orchestra. When the organization’s leaders said the Lincoln Theatre was far too small to continue serving its purpose, the city agreed in 2004 to support the construction of a 50,000-square-foot facility designed by famed architect Frank Gehry. Also included in the initial agreement: that the city would lease two municipal parking lots needed for the expansion for $1 a year for 99 years, shell out $5 million for the construction of a new garage and pay for the expenses of a Gehry-designed urban park.

But then the cost of construction went up, and New World Symphony foresaw the cash from its private investors falling short.

So the symphony’s leaders are seeking more assistance from the city.

“When we started this project some time ago, we thought the cost was going to be in the neighborhood of $90 million,” Howard Frank, vice chairman of New World Symphony’s board of trustees, told the Miami Beach City Commission on Dec. 6. “Now the estimated cost is $135 million and we’re putting another $15 million contingency on that, knowing how these projects run.”

New World Symphony reduced its original grant request to the city from $30 million to $15 million, once Frank brokered a deal to throw in the Lincoln Theatre. But the city backed out soon after when it was faced with the overwhelming prospect of having to run the theater, or sell it—thus leaving NWS without the needed $15 million.

“…You know the original ask was for $30 million and the city asked that we put the Lincoln [Theatre] into that, and I said ‘fine,’” Frank told the commission. “And then in talking with the city manager we agreed that it would be more palatable if we reduced our ask to $15 million and we keep the Lincoln for our own disposal so we take the risk of sale of the Lincoln.”

The request to boost the city’s obligation comes in part because of an increase in the number of desired parking spaces, essentially doubling the size of the garage, and in part because city planners have added a retail component on the ground floor to be leased and operated by the city. Construction costs have also risen and increased the per-space cost.

“The city’s contribution is some real money and we don’t want to be in a Performing Arts situation,” Commissioner Saul Gross said. Gross referred to the county’s Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, which was completed years late and tens of millions of dollars over budget.

Continued