# Rick Ross Is Betting on His Hometown: The Boss Joins a 670-Unit Miami Gardens Development --- url: https://miamigardens.com/rick-ross-ensima-miami-gardens-development/ author: David published: 2026-08-04 modified: 2026-08-04 type: post categories: News tags: Development, Economic Development, EnSima, Housing, Miami Gardens, Real Estate, Rick Ross --- > Miami Gardens native Rick Ross has joined the team behind EnSima Miami I, a 670-unit condo and retail development minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. Here is what the project means for the city. Rick Ross Joins EnSima Miami I, 670-Unit Miami Gardens Project | 2026 ** # Rick Ross Is Betting on His Hometown: The Boss Joins a 670-Unit Miami Gardens Development By MiamiGardens.com Editorial** · August 4, 2026 · 6 min read * Two decades after "Hustlin'," Rick Ross is bringing his business ambitions home. The Miami Gardens native has joined the team behind EnSima Miami I, a 670-unit development minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. He rapped his way out of Carol City, and now he's investing back into it. **Rick Ross**, the hip-hop mogul who grew up in **Miami Gardens**, has joined the development team behind **EnSima Miami I**, a planned eight-story, 670-unit mixed-use project rising just minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. For a city that just spent five weeks in the global spotlight during the World Cup, landing one of its most famous sons as a real estate partner is a fitting next chapter. Here's what the project is, who's behind it, and what it could mean for Miami Gardens. ## What's being built EnSima Miami I is a ground-up development planned for a site about five minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. According to the developers, the project includes: DetailInfo Project nameEnSima Miami I SizeEight stories, 670 residential units RetailApproximately 165,000 square feet LocationMiami Gardens, about 5 minutes from Hard Rock Stadium Design partnerPininfarina, the legendary Italian design house SalesSales office and sales expected to open September 2026 The project is being developed by EnSima, founded by Israeli mentalist and entrepreneur Lior Suchard along with serial entrepreneur Shalom Arik Maimon and co-founders David Shapiro and Ali Yesil. Ross joins as a partner in the broader EnSima ventures. The design carries a genuine headline of its own: the developers have brought in **Pininfarina**, the Italian design house famous for styling Ferrari, to shape the project, promising what they describe as faster, less expensive luxury construction. A hometown mogul, a mentalist, and the design house behind Ferrari, building 670 homes five minutes from Hard Rock Stadium. Only in Miami Gardens. ## Why Rick Ross, and why now The timing is no accident. The partnership was announced on July 28, in the days right after the World Cup closing weekend, when Hard Rock Stadium and Miami Gardens had the eyes of the sporting world. The developers openly acknowledged choosing that moment, with the world still watching the city, to introduce the project and its newest partner. For Ross, this is more than another line on a resume. Born William Leonard Roberts II and raised in the Carol City area of what is now Miami Gardens, Ross has spent two decades since "Hustlin'" building a business empire well beyond music: Wingstop franchises through Boss Wings Enterprises, spirits partnerships, and real estate. In 2023 he paid $35 million for a Star Island mansion. But as observers have noted, EnSima is different from buying another home. By attaching his name to a ground-up development in his hometown, Ross is tying his brand to the future growth of the city that shaped him. ## A pattern of hometown investment Ross isn't the only artist with Miami Gardens roots putting money back into the city. The area has produced a remarkable roster of music talent, and several have invested locally. In 2023, Miami Gardens native Flo Rida and business partner Lee "Freezy" Prince acquired the Cloverleaf Shopping Plaza for $10 million. The city is also associated with artists including Denzel Curry and DJ Walshy Fire. There's a growing sense that Miami Gardens' own success stories see the value in their hometown, both cultural and financial. That local investment is happening alongside a broader wave of development. As we've reported, the city recently [certified a taxable value of $9.6 billion](/miami-gardens-taxable-value-2026/) and has added thousands of new housing units. Other major projects in the pipeline include a proposed 162-acre mixed-use rezoning, a refinanced Live Local Act apartment complex, and a $1 billion redevelopment of the Florida Memorial University campus. EnSima is one piece of a much bigger transformation. ## An honest note on what kind of housing this is It's worth being clear-eyed here. EnSima is a market-rate, design-forward project, reportedly priced around $593 per square foot, aimed in part at buyers drawn by South Florida's international appeal. That's a very different product from the [affordable senior housing at Serenity Gardens](/serenity-gardens-senior-housing-miami-gardens/) that broke ground last week. Both matter, and a healthy city needs both. As Miami Gardens attracts higher-end development, the ongoing challenge for residents and leaders will be making sure growth includes housing that longtime residents and working families can actually afford. Celebrating the investment and asking that question are not in conflict. They're both part of caring about where this city goes. ## What it signals for Miami Gardens Star power aside, the deeper story is about perception. For years, South Florida real estate conversations centered on Miami Beach, Aventura, Sunny Isles, and Bal Harbour. Miami Gardens was rarely in that sentence. A high-profile, design-driven project, announced on the back of a World Cup and anchored by a hometown mogul, helps rewrite that narrative. It signals to the wider market that Miami Gardens is a place worth building in, not just driving through on the way to a game. That shift, if it holds, is exactly what city leaders have hoped the World Cup spotlight would accelerate. Attention becomes investment. Investment becomes jobs, tax base, and amenities. The key, as always, is making sure residents share in the upside. **Following development in Miami Gardens?** EnSima's sales are expected to open in September 2026. For the latest on this and other projects shaping the city, keep up with MiamiGardens.com. If you're a local business looking to reach the residents and newcomers driving this growth, get listed in our [business directory](https://miamigardens.com/?select=&lp_s_loc=&lp_s_tag=&lp_s_cat=&s=home&post_type=listing) or reach out at david@miamigardens.com. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Rick Ross building in Miami Gardens? Rick Ross has joined the development team behind EnSima Miami I, a planned eight-story, 670-unit mixed-use residential project with about 165,000 square feet of retail, located roughly five minutes from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. He is partnering with EnSima, founded by Lior Suchard, Shalom Arik Maimon, David Shapiro, and Ali Yesil, with design by Italian firm Pininfarina. ### Is Rick Ross from Miami Gardens? Yes. Rick Ross, born William Leonard Roberts II, was raised in the Carol City area of what is now the City of Miami Gardens. His involvement in the EnSima Miami I development represents an investment back into his hometown, following a pattern of local artists like Flo Rida who have invested in the area. ### When does EnSima Miami I go on sale? According to the developers, EnSima Miami I's sales office and sales are expected to open in September 2026. The project was reported to be priced around $593 per square foot. For official details and timing, refer to the developer's announcements. Details via Miami New Times, Bisnow, The Real Deal, and the official EnSima announcement (July 28, 2026). Some figures, including unit counts and pricing, are as reported and subject to change. Financial terms of Rick Ross's involvement were not publicly disclosed. Published: August 4, 2026.* --- *Source: [Miami Gardens](https://miamigardens.com/)*