I would like to commend the Miami Beach city commission for approving the first reading of a lease that would create a 800-room convention center hotel. Now, the commission must vote on the lease a second time on September 2. From there, it will go to a public vote on November 3. If it passes by 60% majority, construction could begin in August 2016 with construction taking two years.
As a native of Miami Beach (born and raised), I urge you to research the subject and become familiar with the benefits of the convention center hotel. There are many large conventions that want to come to Miami Beach but require an adjacent convention headquarter hotel in order to accommodate their participants. These large conventions, if booked, would bring much business to local restaurants, shops and even surrounding hotels.
Adjacent to the convention center, which will go through a $500 million dollar renovation beginning in December, 2015, the hotel will be built on the parking lot behind the Fillmore Theater. The hotel would have 701 rooms, 99 suites, 95,000 square feet of meeting space, an amenity deck with pools, and a sky bridge to the convention center. The $405 million hotel was designed by Atlanta-based John Portman & Associates. The Chamber has consistently supported the renovation of the convention center and the hotel.
If you would like additional information on the convention center hotel and the convention center renovation, the city has established a website at www.mbccfuture.com or call the Chamber at 305-674- 1300 for more information.
Best regards,
Michael S. Goldberg
