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As Ultra Music Festival kicks off, Miami residents living nearby are expressing concerns about traffic, noise

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As Ultra Music Festival kicks off, Miami residents living nearby are expressing concerns about traffic, noise


As tens of thousands of electronic music fans descend on downtown Miami for the Ultra Music Festival this weekend, some residents living near Bayfront Park say the celebration comes at a cost they bear year after year.

Visitors from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the three-day festival. While organizers and city leaders tout the economic and cultural impact of the event, nearby residents say road closures, limited park access, and high noise levels disrupt daily life in an area that has grown increasingly residential.

“It’s kind of stressful, and it’s definitely an imposition,” said Laura Okamura, who lives along Biscayne Boulevard near the festival grounds. “The people who suffer the most are the people who live at 50 Biscayne.”

Newer residential towers now surround Bayfront Park, a shift neighbors say city leaders and festival organizers must account for as Ultra negotiates its next contract with Miami.

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A Miami commissioner visited residents to hear their concerns

District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo visited Okamura’s building Friday night to hear concerns from residents firsthand. He said a public meeting scheduled for April 2 will allow surrounding neighbors to voice their grievances as the city considers the festival’s future.

“It seems doable,” Pardo said. “People really like this event. People in this building, people on the street, enjoy the event, but they also want to be heard. And they want to be sure their basic needs are met.”

Noise remains one of the biggest issues for nearby residents. Colby Leider, a sound engineer, said early-evening readings near the festival hovered between 80 and 85 decibels. Historically, neighbors say volumes increase as the night goes on.

“Eighty-five is a very important number in human hearing,” Leider said. “It’s the level above which exposure begins to potentially cause hearing loss.”

Residents say they want stricter noise controls and traffic mitigation plans written into Ultra’s new agreement with the city. They stress they are not pushing to cancel the festival, but want accommodations that reflect how downtown Miami has changed since Ultra began in the city.

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“It’s about understanding how a neighborhood has grown and how an event that has existed for 26 years can harmonize over time,” Pardo said.

Okamura echoed that sentiment, saying neighbors are asking festival organizers to act responsibly. “We are not asking Ultra not to have the concert,” she said. “We are asking them to be a good neighbor. This is our home. This is where we live.”

Representatives from Ultra Music Festival and the Bayfront Park Management Trust are expected to attend the April 2 meeting at 6 p.m. to discuss potential changes to the festival’s contract with the city. The meeting will take place at Live Arts Lab Theater, building 1, room 1101. Ultra Music Festival runs through the weekend at Bayfront Park, with road closures and traffic expected throughout downtown Miami.



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Jarvis Landry Doesn’t Hold Back on Dolphins Offseason

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Jarvis Landry Doesn’t Hold Back on Dolphins Offseason



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(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM )

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The Miami Dolphins are in the middle of a rebuild under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. This offseason, Sullivan cut ties with players like Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa and then traded away Jaylen Waddle.

Moreover, the team brought in former Green Bay Packers QB Malik Willis, drafted Kadyn Proctor in Round 1, and selected several pass catchers to help their new signal-caller. Miami also drafted Jacob Rodriguez to be their leader on that side of the football, potentially.

While there’s still more work to be done, Sullivan has laid the foundation for what he hopes will turn the Dolphins into a contender in the AFC. Nonetheless, one person who is fully on board with what Miami has done this offseason is former Dolphins wideout Jarvis Landry.

I love the [Proctor] pick,Landry said in a May video from4th And South. Miami Dolphins, the GM, hey, he’s doing amazing. He is doing amazing. I’m excited to see how [the Proctor pick] works out. Malik Willis will get some protection up front. I still want to see them add more firepower on the edges, maybe even at tight end, and keep building.

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They added pieces on the defensive side of the ball during the offseason, including a couple of cornerbacks and safeties and things like that. But I would love to see them get Malik Willis a couple more weapons on the outside to do his thing [as] Jaylen Waddle left [and] Tyreek left.


Jarvis Landry Excited About Miami’s Future

Moreover, Landry provided an exciting outlook for Miami under Sullivan as the general manager is only getting started in molding the Dolphins in his vision, especially with the draft capital that the team had in this past draft.

I think the city of Miami is excited,Landry added.With all of these draft picks and the draft capital Miami acquired, and don’t forget, they traded back and got more value and more picks [in this past draft]. I think they’re the only team to have this many picks in this year’s draft, which is probably a record.


Dolphins Were Reportedly Looking at a Veteran Wideout

While Landry would like for the Dolphins to add another receiver, they were reportedly trying to do that. On May 8, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter shared that Miami was one of the teams interested in signing Jauan Jennings before he made his decision to sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

The interesting thing is I was told that there were a few other teams,” Schefter said during a May 8 appearance on thePat McAfee Show. “I can go back and get the exact list. I think it was the Dolphins, the Commanders. There was somebody else that was interested.

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The Vikings were the only team, I believe he wound up visiting at all. That was the only one. The other teams, the Chiefs and Commanders also were interested in Jauan Jennings. New Orleans also expressed a little interest.

Now, for the Dolphins, it will be interesting to see whether they look at other veteran wideouts who might be a good fit, especially as a mentor for the group.

Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo





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Your 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations

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Your 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations


Highest ceiling: Proctor. There’s a reason they drafted him in the first round. If he loses 25 pounds, he can be a multi-time first team All Pro. But he has to put the work in and not be lazy.

Lowest ceiling: Caleb Douglas. Don’t see him fixing his drops. But I hope he proves me wrong.

Best overall pick: Jacob Rodriguez. Guy will be a sideline to sideline tackling machine.

Best value pick: Kyle Louis. He should have went in the 3rd round and will be a major contributor.

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Best pick no one else sees as great…yet: Seydou Traore. The more tape I watch on this guy at Mississippi State, the more I like. If he refines his route running and hands, he could be our starting TE in 2 or 3 years.

Biggest reach pick: Caleb Douglas. See above. He should have went in the 5th, maybe 6th.

Biggest missed opportunity: Not drafting Bain. I sure hope those short arms limit him in the NFL. Now the guy has a huge chip on his shoulder and is pissed at the 14 teams that passed on him, including Miami. The guy was a menace in college. I’m not looking forward to facing the Bucs in the future.



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Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades

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Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades


Miami-Dade County is one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but its median listing price of $595,868 is pushing many everyday people out of the market.

That’s why an affordable alternative is drawing attention.

Cottage Grove, a manufactured housing community under construction in South Miami-Dade, will feature 349 single-family homes with prices starting at just $129,900. It will be the first new manufactured housing development in Miami-Dade in decades.

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“The interest has been tremendous,” Ross Partrich, the CEO of RHP Properties, which owns Cottage Grove, tells Realtor.com®. “The market is showing there’s a real need—we’ve had over 1,000 inquiries.”

RHP Properties has built manufactured housing communities across 31 states, including Florida, but this is its first project in Miami-Dade.

“Cottage Grove addresses a critical gap in the housing supply at a time when rising home prices and construction costs are putting homeownership out of reach for many families and when supply is shrinking due to redevelopment,” says Partrich.

The entrance to Cottage Grove, a new manufactured housing communityRHP Properties

According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, approximately 22 million Americans reside in manufactured homes. These homes are faster and cheaper to build.

“There’s much less waste and more precision when you’re building in a factory,” says Partrich. “The economies of scale are better, and we’re passing on the savings to our residents.”

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About the community

At Cottage Grove, homeowners will own their houses but lease the land beneath them, paying $1,445 a month in lot rent.

Partrich says residents of the community will enjoy five-star amenities.

“That includes a beautifully maintained pool with a large sun deck, contemporary clubhouse, fitness center, yoga and lounge rooms, scenic biking and walking trails, and serene gazebos,” he says.

While many manufactured housing communities in Florida are age-restricted to 55 and older, this 92-acre community will welcome residents of all ages.

“The playground, expansive green spaces, and gated entrance add to the community’s appeal for families,” says Partrich.

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Partrich says people have already begun putting down deposits on the homes—each of which has four bedrooms and is around 1,600 square feet.

“They’re spacious, with open floor plans, multiple living areas, and kitchens equipped with stainless-steel appliances and islands,” he explains.

The first group of homes is expected to be completed and move-in-ready by late summer.

Cottage Grove in South Miami-Dade, FL, prepares lots for the manufactured homes to be installedRHP Properties
The swimming pool at Cottage GroveRHP Properties

Durability and long-term value

In hurricane-prone Florida, durability and safety are key considerations.

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Homes in Cottage Grove meet a set of quality standards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

They’re set on concrete foundations, and Partrich says they’re able to withstand hurricane-force winds—which gives residents added peace of mind.

Over the past seven years, manufactured homes sold without land have appreciated by 51.6%, according to the Realtor.com Perks of the Park: Mobile Homes as an Affordable Alternative Report.

By comparison, median single-family homes rose 58.6% over the same period.

“Financing has typically been more challenging to obtain on manufactured homes, with fewer lenders and higher interest rates,” Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer tells Realtor.com.

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“Most manufactured housing communities use land leases, adding a monthly fee that can make it harder for some buyers to qualify or stay long-term. As a result, appreciation has historically been more limited,” Ameer explains.

But Florida real estate broker Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Echo Fine Properties, says he believes manufactured houses will only continue to rise in popularity, especially in the Sunshine State.

“Stronger manufactured homes are going to be big,” he says. “The reason is that people just want a piece of the American dream and don’t want to be stuck in rentals. These, in many cases, are stepping-stone communities that let someone get started and not be forced to move two counties away. It solves the problem of homeownership, individual placement, and a sense of community.”

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