Miami's Carnival Center Renamed For Adrienne Arsht

$30 MILLION DOLLAR GIFT BY ADRIENNE ARSHT

BRINGS SOLID FINANCIAL FOOTING AND NEW NAME

TO MIAMI'S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 

National business leader and philanthropist, Adrienne Arsht, will bring Miami's performing arts center financial security with a $30 million donation. The gift was announced today by Sherwood (Woody) Weiser, Foundation Chairman Emeritus.  In recognition of the gift, the former Carnival Center for the Performing Arts will be renamed the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Carnival Corporation graciously agreed to relinquish the naming rights in favor of this new major donation.  

"With this landmark gift, Adrienne Arsht puts Miami's performing arts center on a whole new sound financial footing ensuring the long-term stability of the center and positioning it to truly fulfill its mission," said Weiser, who negotiated the deal along with Trust Chairman Ricky Arriola.  

"Both Adrienne and Carnival have shown tremendous civic commitment by putting community interests first to make this happen," said Arriola.  

The Center will receive the $30 million over the next three years. Of the $13 million the Center receives immediately, $4 million will go into working capital to fund Center programming, $7 million will pay off a bank loan and $2 million recently given to the Center by Carnival will be refunded as part of the termination of their ten-year, $10 million dollar commitment. The Center will keep the original Arison family gift of $10 million in return for naming of the Studio Theater, bridge and Art Deco Tower.  It is expected funds from the Arsht gift donated in years two and three will add to working capital and complete funding of the Center's $16 million dollar endowment giving the Center long-term financial security. 

Arsht, who has been a strong supporter of the Center since its inception and has been a supporter of the arts for many years said, "I hope this gift inspires others to act on behalf of their passions, whatever they may be, for the greater good of the global community." Arsht was instrumental in helping the Center transition to new leadership by funding the salary for interim president and CEO Larry Wilker. Arsht collaborated with Wilker fifteen years ago when he was CEO of the Kennedy Center and she served as chair of Kennedy Center Productions, Inc. 

"First, let me extend a very big thank you to Adrienne Arsht for making this most generous contribution," said Howard Frank, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.  "Carnival's interest has always been in doing what is best for the Performing Arts Center and the community.  We originally had naming rights to the Concert Hall, based on a $10 million contribution and we were quite content with that.  When we were asked to double our financial commitment in exchange for naming rights to the overall facility and to relinquish those rights to the Concert Hall, we agreed that it was the right thing to do.  So this is the second time we have stepped back from naming a facility as we once again want to do what is in the best interest of the Performing Arts Center and the community," Frank said. 

Wilker noted that today's action gives the Center greater ability to fulfill its commitment to offering the highest quality and widest diversity of programming.  "The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts now has all the tools it needs to emerge as one of the great performing arts centers of our time."  

About the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County:

The Center offers South Florida audiences the best and most diverse theater, music and dance.  The Center hosts many local, national and international arts organizations and performers and is home to four resident companies (Concert Association of Florida, Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy).  The Center, designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, includes the 2,400-seat Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House, the 2,200–seat John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall, a 200-seat black box Studio Theater, the Peacock Education Center, a restored Art Deco Tower and a Plaza for the Arts that unites the Center buildings across Biscayne Boulevard.  The Adrienne Arsht Center is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners. The Center also receives generous support from private and corporate contributions to the Performing Arts Center Foundation of Greater Miami, and additional public support from City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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