July 23, 2008 

Dear Don,  

I am pleased to try and join the cause to preserve the Marine Stadium.  As the Director of Swim Gym Aquatics, Inc, my company has been operating aquatics programs and events within the basin that houses the Miami Marine Stadium for close to 20 years and I can only begin to envision the future potential for the South Florida Community should the stadium be fully operational and refurbished. 

Currently Swim Gym Aquatics operates an all aquatic sports summer camp over the course of an 8-week period for over 1,200 children.  The basin is the primary source of our activities with kayaking, canoeing, sailing, water polo, open water swimming, and fishing among the numerous activities that take place on a daily basis. 

Within the last 4 years Swim Gym also created an event management subsidiary that with City of Miami approval and the necessary safeguards, organizes a pro-am wakeboarding competition, Board Up™ Miami (www.boardup.net) unlike any other in the Southeastern United States, and one of the nation’s largest open water swimming competitions, The Nike Swim Miami, that features over 600 participants.  Both open water swimming and wakeboarding are among the fastest growing sports in their respective niches. 

Currently the only spectator area for these events is beach front, which to a certain extent, limits the number of spectators that can attend.  This past year’s event featured over 3,000 spectators.  We are constantly brainstorming new and more innovative events and a useable Marine Stadium would only enhance their viability. 

Aquatic training for swimmers and tri-athletes is also a critical component of our program, and the marine stadium and the basin itself are valuable training tools.  A safe marine stadium could be utilized for cross training as well. 

I recall as a student at the University of Miami in the 70’s attending concerts and events at one of Miami’s crown jewels, the Miami Marine Stadium, and today almost 40 years later, I long for those moments again.  Please let me know how I can help make this new dream a reality. 

Sincerely,  

Coach Robert A. Strauss

Director, Swim Gym Aquatics, Inc.