A rendering of the solar ring and retractable cover that Florida Power & Light will place over the Bayfront Park Amphitheater. The image was presented to the Bayfront Park Management Trust in June.
A rendering of the solar ring and retractable cover that Florida Power & Light will place over the Bayfront Park Amphitheater.

A solar ring and retractable roof will soon hang above a premier Miami concert venue

The amphitheater at Bayfront Park, one of Miami’s signature performing arts venues downtown, will soon get a halo-like ring of solar panels and a retractable roof.

On Thursday the Miami City Commission gave approval for a no-bid contract to Florida Power & Light for the project, which is expected to be finished in time for Super Bowl festivities in early 2020.

“This is going to be an iconic structure for the city,” Mayor Francis Suarez said at Thursday’s meeting.

Under the proposed contract terms, which are still being finalized, the city would not pay anything to build or install the structure. That would be Florida Power & Light’s responsibility. The quasi-public Bayfront Park Management Trust would pay for the operation of the retractable roof and routine maintenance, for which it has set aside $40,000 per year.