On February 29, 2024, the South Dade Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council of South Dade co-hosted this year’s State of South Dade. Held at the Dennis Moss Cultural Arts Center, the venue only added to the excitement and popularity of the occasion. Where else can you meet your neighbors, area business owners, prospective business owners thinking about moving to the area, the mayor of your town, the mayors of neighboring towns, the County Commissioners and the County Mayor? Few events promise such an audience, but the State of South Dade promises and delivers this and more.
Now, why am I discussing something that happened almost six months ago? Because I want you to consider something. Residents of the South Dade area already know this – this area is special. From Kendall (SW 88th Street) all the way down to Florida City, over 600,000 people live here. These are consumers. These are workers in all Miami-Dade’s largest industries. Many work locally in South Dade, in its schools, universities, hospitals, manufacturing and small businesses. And we’ve got agriculture – lots of it. While much of it is dedicated to ornamental and similar cash crops, a significant portion is still producing food that we eat, food that is exported, food that many people outside of our state know originates in South Dade.
Why am I discussing this again? Because South Dade is home to two national parks. Of the 51 national parks in the continental US, we have two of them (almost 4%...I did the math).
So again, why am I revisiting this and talking so much about South Dade? Because it merits discussion. More than any area in our county, South Dade can be considered a REGION. Our mayors communicate with one another. Our commissioners talk to one another. Do you realize how much that helps? For a homeowner, it is wonderful to live knowing that there are many people dedicated to preserving what is special about South Dade. And the more our homeowners and business owners realize this and get involved, the stronger our voices become. For a Realtor, the building of a community is an important attribute to highlight to a prospective Buyer. It also adds value to an owner considering the sale of their home or property.
Will we have a State of South Dade 2025? I am sure we will, and I hope you will consider attending. If you are business owner looking for a place to establish yourself, I hope you will also consider attending…so you can meet the people…and the leaders…and the COMMUNITY that help make South Dade a great place to Live, Work, Play, and Thrive!