Beautiful Miami UMIAMI
WELCOME TO MIAMI With 84 miles of Atlantic coastline, yearlong sunshine and an average daily temperature of 75 degrees, it is no wonder in his hit single, Will Smith dubbed Miami “the city where the heat is on.”
THE HEAT ON THE COURT Thanks to South Florida’s year-round, sports-friendly climate, Miami has a lot to offer in outdoor recreational activities. From some of the PGA’s finest golf courses to almost 700 parks, countless opportunities for kayaking, scuba-diving, fishing and beach volleyball, there is something for everyone. South Florida has the perfect weather for sports and is one of only eight metropolitan areas in the United States that can boast of a professional franchise in each of the four major sports. The 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat put together an an amazing group of talent during 2010’s free agency period and keeps things hot at the American Airlines Arena. The NFL’s Miami Dolphins have thrilled fans for decades at Sun Life Stadium, which hosted the Super Bowl in 1995, 1999, 2007 and 2010. The Major League’s Florida Marlins had everybody “doing the fish” when they won the World Series in 1997 and 2003. Despite the warm weather, South Florida’s own hockey team, the Florida Panthers, keeps up on the ice.
MIAMI IS CALIENTE Truly a melting pot, Miami is home to a variety of cultures, creating a unique, vibrant cultural mosaic. With representatives of every Hispanic nation in the world, Spanish serves as a second language to most of Miami’s residents. Little Havana is the heart of Miami’s Cuban community, where churro vendors line the streets, the aroma of high-octane cafe Cubano fills the air and the spirit of friendly competition fills Domino Park. The spirit of the Caribbean is alive in Little Haiti, where many Haitian artists, musicians and entrepreneurs get their start in Miami. The proud focal point of this neighborhood is the Caribbean Market, an open-air replica of Port-au-Prince’s Iron Market, where Creole is the main language.
SIZZLING THE SILVER SCREEN With tropical weather, a high-quality labor pool, low production costs and direct links to Latin America, Miami has become one of the most important entertainment centers in the world. Dubbed as the Latin-American Hollywood by the New York Times, such blockbusters as Bad Boys, Any Given Sunday, There’s Something About Mary and Wild Things were all filmed in Miami. A Hollywood favorite off-screen as well, Miami is home to dozens of celebrities and even more consider it a favorite weekend getaway. Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s Star Island estate and Gianni Versace’s Ocean Drive mansion-turnedmuseum are just a couple examples of Miami’s celebrity appeal. It is not uncommon to spot Sean “Diddy” Combs or Jamie Foxx dancing at a South Beach club, or former president Bill Clinton playing golf at the Biltmore Hotel.
MIAMI HOT SPOTS For shopping, dancing or just plain people watching, Miami offers several places to see and be seen. With over 800 buildings designed in the ‘30s and ‘40s, South Beach serves as the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Celebrity-owned restaurants, night clubs and a medley of huge anchor stores and unique boutiques create the flavor of Miami’s most famous hot spot. Coconut Grove, just a 10-minute drive from the University of Miami, is another student favorite. The Grove is still one of Miami’s hottest nightspots with more than 75 cafes, restaurants and clubs that line the streets.
THE “CITY BEAUTIFUL” The University of Miami campus is located in Coral Gables, nicknamed the “City Beautiful”. Founded by George Merrick almost a century ago, the Gables is one of Miami’s most beautiful areas. The palm-lined streets are all named after European villages, each one bordered by Old Spanish style homes.
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Downtown Coral Gables is bustling with the many offices of multi-national corporations, while the city’s central boulevard — Miracle Mile — is home to a wide array of designer boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.
2010-11 | UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MEN’S BASKETBALL | HURRICANESPORTS.COM