HuffPost a la Miami

The Huffington Post Media Group (“HPMG”) announced the launch of HuffPost Miami (huffingtonpost.com/miami), bringing to the city the unique blend of real-time news, views, and engaged community that is the signature of The Huffington Post (“HuffPost”). The site will cover the complexities of the ever-changing Miami metropolis as it forges a 21st century identity and builds on its storied past and unique location as an entry point to Latin America and the Caribbean. Janie Campbell is Editor and Amanda McCorquodale is Associate Editor. Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, made the announcement.

“We’re delighted to launch HuffPost Miami,” said Arianna Huffington. “Miami is one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the world – and, thanks to scores of movies and TV shows, one of the most recognizable. We’ll bring you the stories and images that have long defined Miami in the popular imagination — from the clatter of dominoes on Calle Ocho to the crack of the pelota at the Jai Alai fronton; from the skyscrapers of downtown to the kick-back vibe of Coconut Grove and the Deco hotels on South Beach. But we’ll also dig deeper in an effort to tell the stories of all the people who make up this unique city – one that is a combustible blend of the old and the new, the glittery and the grimy, the transient and the entrenched.”

HuffPost Miami covers all of Miami, from its multilingual cultures and politics to its diverse personalities and businesses. The site offers real-time news and views about the city, including its popular sports teams, growing restaurant scene, ceaseless real estate development and architectural restoration, and evolving role as the “capital of Latin America.”

The site will cover local government and civic battles, including: the supercharged effort to introduce mega casinos to the area, the latest news from Havana of concern to Miami’s large Cuban exile community, the city’s efforts to cope with its real estate collapse, and the comings and goings of the city’s dynamic arts scene — from the annual frenzy around Art Basel Miami Beach to sustained efforts to create a year-round arts community that embraces dance, music, fine arts, and design.

HuffPost reporters are covering the city from multiple angles: Matt Sledge will report on Miami-Dade County’s financing arrangement with the American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat. He’ll also examine what the Occupy movement can learn from the city’s Take Back the Land organization’s unconventional anti-foreclosure tactics, and explore the publicly-funded purchase of a much-derided sculpture to be prominently located at the Miami Marlins’ new (and controversial) ballpark. Christina Costantini will look at how the Spanish language has so thoroughly transformed the city; and Ray Sanchez will be writing about the changing political voice and demographics of the Cuban exile community.

Bloggers who will be featured on the site include: Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade; University of Florida wildlife ecologist Dr. Frank J. Mazzotti; marketing and PR guru Tara Solomon; NBC Miami Nitecap host Peter Bailey; Miami-Dade County Commissioner and former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez; City of Miami Beach Commissioner Jerry Libbin; University of Miami Medical Ethicist Dr. Kenneth Goodman; Knight Foundation Vice President of Arts Dennis Scholl; “smart growth” blogger Tony Garcia; Miami Museum of Contemporary Art Director Bonnie Clearwater; activist Vanessa Brito; and more.