Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida Launch Historic Overtown Visitor Center

Historic Overtown To Serve As A Key Cultural Hub To Welcome Visitors To Miami

MIAMI – The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Multicultural Tourism Team (GMCVB) in partnership with the Black Archives & Research Foundation of South Florida will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, February 23, 2015 at 10 a.m. – noon for the new Historic Overtown Visitor Center located inside the historic Lyric Theater.

The new visitor center will provide visitors and residents with a resource for information on the attractions and events in Historic Overtown as well as other heritage and multicultural neighborhoods throughout Greater Miami. Additionally, the new visitor center at the Lyric Theater will offer a wide variety of brochures on attractions and points of interest, maps, calendars of events, tours and special offerings throughout the year. The Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Uptown loop tour will be making a stop at the historic Lyric Theater, where the new Historic Overtown Visitor Center will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

“As Historic Overtown again becomes a destination of choice for tourist and residents alike, The Black Archives is extremely honored to have this visitors center located in the Historic Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex,” says Timothy Barber, Executive Director Black Archives. “The Welcome Center is the result of the great collaboration, and partnership that we have been able to establish the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with the Multicultural Tourism Team. This initiative fits the mission of the Black Archives to re-brand the Historic Overtown neighborhood by re-introducing economic growth and jobs for residents through tourism dollars.”

“We’re delighted to be opening a visitor center in the heart of Historic Overtown in partnership with the Black Archives & Research Foundation of South Florida,” says GMCVB President & CEO William D. Talbert, III, CDME. “The new visitor center is part of our Multicultural Tourism Team’s evolving efforts to raise awareness of our diverse and vibrant multicultural neighborhoods. The new visitor center at The Historic Lyric Theater will provide visitors with a warm welcome and introduction to the rich heritage of Historic Overtown.”

“Since the incorporation of the City of Miami, Overtown(then known as the Central Negro District) has played a vital role in its development. Overtown has a glorious past and as we begin to witness its revitalization a tremendous future. The opening of the visitors center is another indication of the positive changes taking place,”states City of Miami, District 5, Commissioner Keon Hardemon.

For more information, visit:  www.MiamiandBeaches.com.