LTC 181-2004 CSI: Miami Production
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 181-2004
m
From:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. GOnZalez~ ~.
City Manager ..¡./ D
CSI: MIAMI PROD ION
Date: July 20, 2004
To:
Subject:
The CBS hit television show "CSI: Miami" is back in town filming segments for the first three episodes of
season three. Please be advised that two of the scenes filming this week involve more complicated and
coordinated efforts than usual, and efforts are being made to alleviate confusion and concern for any affected
residents.
This Wednesday and Thursday, July 21 and 22, the production will film in the City of Miami portion of the 79th
Street Causeway (JFK), at the drawbridge east of NE 10th Avenue. The scene they are filming involves a stunt
wherein a yacht collides with the open drawbridge, forcing a car to fall into the Bay. On Wednesday, July 21 st,
one eastbound lane on the NE 79th Street bridge just east of NE Bayshore Court will be closed between
6:00am and 9:00pm. On Thursday, July22nd, between the hours of 6:00am and 9:00pm, eastbound traffic will
be rerouted into one westbound lane (westbound traffic will be reduced to two lanes) between NE 10th Avenue
and Pelican Harbour on NE 79th Street. Traffic will only be stopped intermittently when the bridge is up and
only at manageable intervals. These maneuvers will be coordinated by professional stunt personnel, and the
production team is already in full and proper coordination with all affected parties, including Coast Guard, City
of Miami land police and marine patrol, FDOT and DERM, as well as North Bay Village and the media
complex there (Channel 7, radio stations). As this production takes place entirely outside of our city limits, the
City of Miami Beach Office of Film and Print will not issue a permit for this production, but the production
team met with our Film and Print Office, as well as other City representatives to coordinate a traffic plan to
alleviate concerns for motorists exiting or entering Miami Beach. The plan calls for electronic VMS signs at the
Normandy Fountain to alert oncoming traffic and give ample opportunity to find an alternate route.
Additionally, the production has three segments to film Friday, July 23, all on Washington Avenue from South
Pointe Drive to 1 st Street. The most significant segment takes place on Washington in front of Joe's Stone
Crab, which will substitute as the outside of a jewelry store. This scene is the aftermath of a robbery which
results in the death of one of the main characters on the program. The robbery itself will be filmed on stages in
Los Angeles at another time. For this scene, from 7 AM until 7PM, the production will close Washington from
South Pointe Drive to 1 st Street to vehicle traffic. There will be no gunfire or stunts involved at this location,
but the closure is necessary to place emergency response vehicles in front of the location. Also, the
production will never identify any part of the location as specific to Miami Beach or use Miami Beach police or
emergency personnel insignias or uniforms.
The production is working with the Office of Film and Print and will be coordinated with off-duty police officers
to re-route traffic, per a Management of Transportation Plan agreed upon by the Public Works Department.
The production has received approval from all of the affected business on this block and is working with Joe's,
the apartment building to the north of their garage, and the Dacra building all as locations for segments during
the day. The production will also notify nearby businesses and residents and place electronic VMS signs at
locations preferred by the Public Works Department. The entire production day, including load-out of vehicles,
will be completed by 11 PM.
JMG\c1ttbMAS\gw
F:\info\$ALL\Max\TCD\L TC\L TC CSI Miami 0704.doc
3::JIJ.:fO S,J.Hn
.AJ.~~¡
c:
Christina M. Cuervo, Assistant City Manager
Max Sklar, Acting Tourism and Cultural Development Director
Graham Winick, Film and Print Coordinator
I +J : II W~ 02 -¡fW +JO
03f\1383tf