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Greater Miami Chamber chair: merger could help real estate businesses

by James McClister

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The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce have entered into a “memorandum of understanding” that will see the two organizations explore the possibility of a merger, the groups announced this week.

“This is a great opportunity to provide even better service, leadership and value for business throughout South Florida while allowing us to operate most cost effectively for our members,” said chair of the Greater Miami Chamber, Christine Barney, in her initial statement.

What agents can expect

In a conversation with Barney, the CEO of rbb Communications told Miami Agent that should the merger proceed, real estate businesses can expect a boost from the larger chamber’s new regional scope.

“We believe that many of the critical issues that face business, in all industries but particularly in real estate, need to be addressed regionally,” she said. “For example, when assessing the economic climate that makes for favorable real estate investments, we look at the South Florida region as a whole. We look at transportation issues that affect real estate decisions – those are regional in nature.”

Barney added that issues as serious as sea level rise, and how it’s going to affect future South Florida real estate developments, are discussions that should be happening with the entire region in mind – not at the local level. And it’s her belief that a combined chamber of commerce could help accomplish that.

Perks for local real estate

In the past, both chambers have made special efforts to support the local real estate communities, like the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s The Millionaires’ Advanced Real Estate and Business event, and the Greater Miami Chamber’s annual Real Estate Achievers and Leaders awards. According to its website, the Chamber has a number of initiatives that benefit agents, working to:

  • Enhance awareness of the city’s existing public amenities and walkable waterfronts in downtown.
  • Highlight the existing workforce housing options in West Brickell, East Little Havana, and the Miami River Corridor through programming that promotes efforts of developers, universities and community leaders that are making progress.
  • Develop a Chamber publication to cull Real Estate data/research/directory for some of the distinct communities the Chamber serves.
  • Add one additional program to the successful event series that includes a Developer’s Roundtable, Urban Crawl/Suburban Sprawl panel discussion, Real Estate Summit and R.E.A.L. Awards.

The two chambers expect the joint task force to make a recommendation by year’s end.

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