"Burn Notice" Eviction Negotiations Head To Sarnoff, Producers

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The hit USA spy thriller "Burn Notice" got a slight reprieve Thursday in an eviction battle with the City of Miami.

In front of a packed city hall, City Commissioners opted not to vote on the issue and instead agreed to leave negotiations up to Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, city administrators and Burn Notice producers.

Sarnoff said he'd call producers directly to negotiate.

"Burn Notice" has called Miami home for six seasons. Producers converted the former Coconut Grove Expo Center into a giant sound stage and have rented it from the city for $240,000 a year. However, city commissioners had plans to demolish the building in October to build a waterfront park as part of a Coconut Grove revitalization plan.

Miami film industry officials want the show to stay in Coconut Grove because losing it would mean a tremendous loss of revenue, not only for the show which would have to find a new location for a sound stage, but also for local businesses.

Film advocates would like the city to wait until after the show's run has ended to build the new waterfront park.

According to Miami Today, during lease negotiations last year, Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff suggested the show move to the Miami Entertainment Complex, a city-owned building on Northwest 13th Street that is meant to be a film studio. Terry Miller, the executive producer, said then that wasn't feasible, and he reiterated it this year.

Burn Notice officials have said moving to a new location would cost them a $1 million.

During the show's first five years, Fox spent more than $100 million, including nearly $63 million in wages, and generated in excess of 13,000 room nights, mostly in Miami, states Miami Today.