Odili Donald Odita: Can you tell me briefly who you are and what you do?

Craig Robins: I am president of DACRA, essentially a creative company that works with real estate. The first project I did was in South Beach, many buildings there. Now I am working in the design district, and also doing a residential island called Aqua. I still own a lot of property at South Beach, but it's much less interesting today. It has just become much more commercial.

I know South Beach through all the Hollywood celebrities that have spent time and bought properties there. Were you influential in bringing in this community?

It all really started around the Marlin Hotel. I have been in partnership with a guy named Chris Blackwell. We started buying several other properties together and developing them. Gianni Versace stayed there and bought his house, and Mickey Rourke used to hang out there all the time. We also bought a bunch of properties and sold one of them to Gloria and Emelio Estefan, and to the Cardozas, which I think really got things going. Chris is such a legendary guy in music and film that there were always a lot of entertainment people hanging around, and his presence generated an enormous amount of publicity for the area. In the design district, we have managed to attract a lot of the very interesting creative people in Miami. It has been a lot more than just art: filmmaking, music. It is really been amazing. We have the Juanes and Julio Iglesias and Richardo Montaner, with their management offices and the Latin Grammys. There are several film companies and jewelry designers. The best architects and designers are here: Matt McDonald, Chad Oppenheim, and Alison Spear, to mention a few. The design district has actually become so much fun that we are going to move our DACRA corporate headquarters here.

What prompted your interest in the arts, and how long have you been an art collector?

As a child, I spent a lot of time drawing. Then, when I was in college, I studied for a year at the University of Barcelona.

You studied art there?
I studied history of art and theatre. I started buying art when I was there. I have always been interested in young contemporary art, which is still generally what I collect. I'm interested in collecting the art of our time.

Are these what makes a top art collector today?

These are certain commonalities that probably are present: dedication, and a genuine interest. Passion and dedication are probably the most important ingredients.

I would group you in with the major collectors in Miami: the De La Cruz's, Marty Margolis, the Rubells, and the Scholls. How do these collections work with Miami's public institutions and collections? Do you think that they assist in the whole scope of art presentation in Miami? Or is there competition between these different houses and public institutions?

There is a healthy level of competition, which spurs everyone on to aspire and achieve more. There is some small-mindedness, but basically, I think we have a very vibrant appreciation of contemporary art and culture, which continues to grow and expand. If you look at people like the De La Cruzs, and the Bramans, for example, they are so generous; they are very integrated into many facets of the cultural community. Their collecting is an extension of something much bigger. The Scholls also give a lot of time and energy to the community. There are some collectors more of my generation, like Danny Holtz, who is building a very interesting collection. Some people collect their solitary expression of themselves, and others are more integrated in the community - but all the collectors are fairly genuine. And the museums are growing, too. There is some really good energy on the museum level, in the alternative spaces, and in the accredited museums.

What two artworks would you kill to have in your collection?

I would not kill for anything. Saving the life of someone I love, maybe.

For what two artworks would you save the life of someone you love?

I would probably be most interested in having "Saturn Devouring His Son" By Francisco Goya. Goya's my favorite artist.

What was your role in the marriage of Basel and Miami into the Art Basel/ Miami Beach Art Fair?

Norm Braman and I really worked hard to make sure that the fair could come here. It was something we both saw as critical to Miami. A lot of people also worked hard on bringing it here. Sam Keller is the one who really did it, with his former boss, Lorenzo Rudolph. A lot of people claim it was their idea. Those same people will tell you they invented South Beach, too.

What do you think makes Miami different from Las Vegas, or any other city of fun?

Miami has really emerged as a very, very exciting city of substance. The interesting thing is that it is also a lot of fun. An ideal manifestation of what I'm talking about is Art Basel. Art Basel is very serious, world-class: the best art fair in the world. It is a very, very serious art business event. But when they held a winter version of the fair in Miami, it was so much more fun than it is in Switzerland. Miami is a place where, when people come here, they feel really good and enjoy life more. So they are enjoying art more.

Do you experience leisure in Miami, or is it all work for you here?

I am definitely not a person that believes in all work. I love my work, but I have a lot of fun too.

Do you indulge in cars, food, arts, fashion?
Most of what is important to me does not involve indulging. I love to be outdoors, to exercise. I like to read, especially esoteric material. I love to look at art. It is not so much doing or having things; being social is a lot of fun to me. I love all the personalities, the real feeling of life.

What do you see as the future for Miami?
Miami is going to be one of the most important growing cities of the twenty-first century. More and more it is going to become part of an international dialogue, a new kind of dialogue. We are going to have a seat at the table.