Miami Gardens residents sue Gimenez, Dolphins and Formula 1 over Hard Rock race

More than a dozen Miami Gardens residents accused Miami-Dade County and Mayor Carlos Gimenez of racial discrimination in a federal lawsuit that seeks to prevent Formula One races from being held at Hard Rock Stadium.

The complaint, filed Friday in Miami federal court, alleges Gimenez and the county conspired with the Miami Dolphins organization and Formula One, both of whom are named as defendants in the suit, to bring the race to Miami Gardens despite residents’ protests.

In addition to seeking a permanent injunction that bars the race, residents want financial restitution and a judicial order declaring that racial discrimination and constitutional rights violations occurred. They are also seeking a declaration that county and city noise ordinances would be violated if the race were to happen.

“To try to foist this race into our community, without almost any input from residents who would be affected, is not only outrageous, but disrespectful to a predominantly African-American community,” Betty Ferguson, former Miami-Dade County commissioner and activist, said in a statement.

The federal lawsuit comes almost nine months after Miami Gardens residents, led by Ferguson, sued the Dolphins and Formula One in state civil court. That case appears to have been withdrawn and refiled as a civil rights action suit while plans for the race, the first of which would be held in May 2021, are continuing.

Spokespersons for both the Dolphins and the county said their respective organization doesn’t comment on open litigation. Formula One did not return a request for comment.

With a population of more than 110,000, Miami Gardens is Florida’s largest primarily Black city. Citing the county’s history of mistreating its Black residents, the complaint characterizes plans to hold the race in Miami Gardens as “the most recent example” of racism.

“This is environmental racism at its highest degree,” Sylvia Porter Perkins, one of the 14 Miami Gardens residents suing the County, added, according to the complaint.

Noise and air pollution are among the residents’ primary concerns. The complaint points to “peak noise levels” surpassing 97 dBA — anything more than 85 dBA can cause hearing damage, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association — and an influx of nearly 200,000 people over the course of several days.

“I will not be able to enjoy sitting on my patio without wearing ear plugs and worrying about my blood pressure rising because of the noise,” Ferguson said in the complaint.

The battle over where to run the Formula One Grand Prix has raged since 2017. Downtown Miami residents initially spurned Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’ plans to hold the race along Biscayne Boulevard.

Ross’ efforts to do so at Hard Rock Stadium, which is located in Miami Gardens, were met with more resistance despite promises of economic prosperity and even a new track design.

“If it’s not good enough for those communities, why here?” Jahdiel Murray of Miami Gardens told the Herald in September 2019.

County Commissioner Barbara Jordan and Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert have opposed the race. Jordan’s multiple attempts to stymie the race with legislation were ultimately unsuccessful. When her last effort failed in February, she announced plans to file a lawsuit.

“This fight is not over,” Jordan said at the time. “Formula One, I don’t think they want this kind of publicity. But they better get ready.”