Submitted by Miami Times Staff Report
The City of Miami Gardens witnessed a historic event on Tuesday afternoon as rapper and entrepreneur Flo Rida, alongside Councilman Reggie Leon, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s first entirely Black-owned shopping plaza. The event, held at 230 NW 183rd St., marked a milestone in the community’s journey toward economic empowerment and revitalization.
The Cloverleaf Shopping Plaza, a 27,813-square-foot property, was acquired by Flo Rida in 2023 through his business firm, Strong Arm Management, for $10 million. Situated in the neighborhood where Flo Rida, born Tramar Lacel Dillard, spent his formative years, the plaza is home to various businesses, including Cloverleaf Beauty Supply, Creole Kitchen, Boost Mobile, and Top Notch Cigars & Smoke Shop. The acquisition and subsequent renovation aim to transform the plaza into a hub for Black entrepreneurship, reflecting and supporting the culture and needs of the Miami Gardens community.
The Feb. 25 groundbreaking ceremony attracted community leaders, entrepreneurs and residents eager to celebrate the event that served as not only a celebration of Black economic power but also as a commitment to fostering generational wealth in Miami Gardens. The revitalized plaza is expected to serve as a catalyst for further community-driven investments, highlighting the importance of local ownership in the city’s development.
“We are definitely proud of the fact that we had some of our local people who decided to invest back into Miami Gardens,” said Mayor Rodney Harris at the ceremony. “These are the kinds of partnerships that we look forward to … It generates jobs, it generates opportunities, and it generates the possibilities of dreams coming true.”
Flo Rida’s investment in the Cloverleaf Shopping Plaza is part of a broader trend of celebrities leveraging their success to uplift their communities. By reinvesting in his hometown, Flo Rida aims to create lasting opportunities and serve as a role model for future generations. The project underscores the potential of public figures to drive meaningful change through strategic investments in underserved areas.
During Tuesday’s event, kind words were exchanged between Flo Rida and his business manager, Lee “Freezy” Prince, who also participated in the purchase of Cloverleaf Plaza. The two lifelong friends acknowledged their shared mission to give back to their community.
“It was just something about him, something about his spirit,” Dillard said of Prince
“Right from the street of Carol City High School, we went to middle school together, high school together, and we started this journey together in the music business. We’re family … and we never stopped giving back to our community. We never stopped,” said Prince.
