Miami may hand Tower Theater operation to Miami Dade College

Miami Dade College may resume management of the Tower Theater, the century-old Little Havana cinema, after two and a half years under one commissioner’s control, a move city leaders say will protect its programming, cultural legacy and long-term stability.

At the Jan. 8 meeting, city commissioners are to consider a resolution sponsored by Mayor Eileen Higgins and the area’s Commissioner Rolando Escalona authorizing a 20-year lease for Miami Dade College to run the city-owned theater. The proposal says residents, artists, educators and cultural organizations have advocated for the college’s return, recognizing its unique capacity to operate the theater and ensure the historic venue remains a cultural hub for the community.

The city took over operation of the theater in 2023 when a 3-2 commission vote led by then-commissioner Joe Carollo handed it to Mr. Carollo’s office to program. “It’s for our people,” he said at the time. He soon brought in an exhibit on the life and work of Cuban singer Celia Cruz after saying he wanted to improve the theater’s attendance and programming.

The Tower Theater, at 1508 SW Eighth St., opened in 1926 and has stood for nearly a century as one of Miami’s earliest and most enduring cultural institutions. Following an Art Deco renovation in 1931, it became a defining landmark on what is now Calle Ocho.

During the 1960s, as waves of Cuban exiles reshaped Miami, the theater welcomed immigrant families, adapting its programming to Spanish-language and subtitled films that reflected the community it served. After closing in 1984, the city acquired and restored the theater in 1991, reopening it as a center for international cinema and performing arts.
In 2002, the city leased the Tower Theater to Miami Dade College, which invested financial and institutional resources to revitalize the venue. Over two decades, the college turned it into a hub for film festivals, educational programs and arts initiatives – all without relying on city operating subsidies.

In January 2023, the city assumed direct operation and placed management under Mr. Carollo’s office for a one-year pilot program. That move included new programming and rotating visual arts exhibits. Mr. Carollo’s office ran the theater until he left under term limits in November.

Now city leaders and community members say returning the theater to the college is necessary to maintain long-term stability, protect its cultural legacy and preserve programming continuity.

The proposed agreement would authorize a minimum 20-year lease with automatic five-year renewals. The college’s decades-long experience managing the theater, combined with strong community support, has shaped the decision to prioritize MDC stewardship, the legislation says.

“In January 2023, the city assumed direct operation of the Tower Theater, disrupting a long-standing and highly successful management model that had earned broad community support,” the resolution reads. “Residents, artists, educators and cultural organizations have strongly advocated for the return of Miami Dade College’s stewardship of the Tower Theater, recognizing the college’s unique capacity to operate the venue in a manner consistent with its historic mission.”

It continues, “The City Commission finds that the immediate return of the Tower Theater to Miami Dade College is necessary to preserve programming continuity, protect the theater’s cultural legacy, and ensure the long-term stability of this historic public asset.”

If approved, the resolution would direct the city manager to negotiate and execute the agreement with Miami Dade College within 45 days.