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The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) started FY25 off strong. For the first 6 months, South Florida’s largest convention center has welcomed 344,490 guests across 52 regional, national, and international events, proving that spring in Miami Beach means business. So far, the MBCC has hosted an exciting mix of events that drew hundreds of thousands of visitors and generated robust economic impact for South Florida. This included global tech and business conventions such as AdobeMAX, which generated $25M of economic impact, and iConnections, as well as the debut of the international sports competition Premier Padel and RaquetX, and annual favorites such as Art Basel, Cosmoprof, Miami International Boat Show, and many others. Notably, MBCC has seen an upswing in medical events, highlighted by the rebranding and return of FIME, now named World Health Expo, taking place from June 11-13, 2025.
“We’re excited to see a surge in tech, fintech, medical, and sports events at the MBCC. Our focus on delivering exceptional experiences, combined with our unwavering commitment to safety, sustainability, and excellence in customer service, ensures that we remain at the forefront of the industry. Together, with the City of Miami Beach and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), we continue to welcome all who enter the MBCC and its campus with open arms,” said Freddie Peterson, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center, managed by Oak View Group (OVG).
The Miami Beach Convention Center is gearing up for a busy and exciting summer. Upcoming events include World Health Expo (WHX) Miami (6/11-6/13), American Black Film Festival (6/9-6/15), Million Dollar Round Table (6/22-6/26), Florida Supercon (7/18-7/20), The National Fraternal Order of Police National Conference (8/3-7), Connect Marketplace (8/25-27) and many more.
The MBCC Stays Ahead with Cutting-Edge Venue Enhancements
Following its transformative $640M renovation and expansion from 2015-2020, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) remains committed to innovation to ensure that its reimagined event spaces continue to meet the evolving needs of organizers and guests. Ongoing substantial investments across 22 capital projects for approximately $19M are currently in the works. Upgrades to infrastructure, technology, safety and security, cybersecurity, and the overall visitor experience are central to this effort. As the premier destination for world-class events in the heart of Miami Beach, the MBCC continues to invest in smart upgrades that ensure excellence in venue management and customer experience.
Some exciting safety and security projects include 41 new security cameras added to the existing 27 in the center’s 500,000 sq.ft. exhibit halls. This initiative brings the total number of security cameras on the MBCC campus to 564. Furthermore, 165 new strobes will be added to the existing 165 in the exhibit halls, bringing that number up to 330.
With regard to technology upgrades, the MBCC will be installing four large-format LED wall screens in the Grand Lobby this summer, a $1.5 million investment by the City of Miami Beach that enhances the visual impact and versatility of the space. These high-resolution digital displays provide an immersive and sustainable experience while unlocking new advertising and sponsorship revenue opportunities for event organizers and the venue alike.
Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Breaks Ground and Secures $392M in Financing
The long-anticipated Grand Hyatt Miami Beach officially broke ground on May 16, 2025, a transformative 800-room hotel that will be directly connected to the Miami Beach Convention Center via a climate-controlled skybridge. The project also reached a critical milestone with $392 million in secured construction financing. Developed by Terra and Turnberry, the 17-story hotel is slated to open in late 2027 and serve as a major asset in attracting high-profile conventions and business events to the region. It will feature: 800 guest rooms, including 52 suites, four floors of meeting and ballroom space, a rooftop pool deck, a restaurant, a bar, and retail.
Strategically located in the Convention Center District, just steps from Lincoln Road, the Fillmore Theater, the Bass Museum, and the New World Symphony, Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will enhance the area’s walkability and strengthen MBCC’s role as a premier global meetings destination. The new hotel will put the MBCC in the running to host bigger conventions and events, making its partnerships with hotels throughout Miami Beach more important than ever before. With financing secured and construction underway, the project marks a major investment in the continued growth of Miami Beach’s tourism and convention economy.
“We’re proud to see the Miami Beach Convention Center thriving as a dynamic economic engine for meetings and conventions, business, and culture in our community,” said Freddie Peterson. “With the groundbreaking of the Grand Hyatt, exciting new events, and continued investments in technology and sustainability, we’re building an exciting future that ensures the MBCC remains a world-class venue for years to come.”
A live webcam provided by the GMCVB shows ongoing construction updates: https://www.miamibeachconvention.com/center-info/headquarter-hotel
Leading by Example – Advancing Sustainability and Community Impact
This spring, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) earned a major industry distinction: a 4 Green Keys rating from Green Key Global’s Meetings Program. This prestigious certification recognizes MBCC’s national leadership in environmental management and corporate social responsibility, highlighting its comprehensive sustainability policies and measurable results across operations. The achievement was made possible through a close partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), underscoring the collective commitment of Miami’s hospitality industry to employ more sustainable and socially responsible practices. For a destination built around world-class events and tourism, participation in the Green Key program represents a significant step forward, setting a new standard for green meetings in South Florida.
Building on this momentum and its 2024 EIC Silver Certification, the MBCC has continued to make strides in energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction. Its CARE program has expanded donations of unused food and event materials to local nonprofits, while its food and beverage partner, Sodexo Live!, remains committed to sourcing locally and partnering with small, minority-owned businesses. Together, these efforts reinforce MBCC’s role as a change-maker in both the events industry and the greater Miami Beach community.
Rum Room Celebrates its 2nd Anniversary with the Launch of a New Menu
Rum Room at the Miami Beach Convention Center celebrated its second anniversary on April 22, 2025, with the launch of bold new food and cocktail menus, crafted by Sodexo Live! Executive Chef Ismael LaSalle. The celebration also marked the debut of a refreshed guest experience led by new Executive Sous Chef Omar Hale and Dining Room Manager Anar Aubakirova, underscoring the restaurant’s evolution into a local favorite for elevated dining in the heart of Miami Beach.
Rum Room is a combined indoor and outdoor 80-seat restaurant with Old World and tropical 1920s Florida decor and an upscale menu that draws on Florida’s history and Miami’s Haitian, Latin, and Central American influences. Also drawing on history, our updated drinks menu features classic rum cocktails with modern tastes, a large selection of local and imported rums, and many other favorite spirits.
Venu, occupying what was formerly the 1916-built Miami Beach Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse, is a historic event space and bar designed to be a favored destination for elegant private events and upscale VIP events as part of the MBCC’s convention offerings – everything from cocktail parties, business meetings, weddings, bat or bar mitzvahs, and more. Erected just one year after the City of Miami Beach was incorporated, this legendary building is one of the oldest public buildings in Miami Beach. The City of Miami Beach purchased it in 1983, approved an over $3.2 million interior and exterior renovation in 2018, and has turned the historic landmark into a sophisticated event venue with custom menus. To book a reservation or learn more, visit https://www.rumroommiamibeach.com/ and follow Rum Room on social media (@rumroommiamibeach).
About The Miami Beach Convention Center & Campus
Re-imagined following a $640-million-dollar renovation, the award-winning MBCC includes a new 60,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom, four junior ballrooms, almost 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, an expanded Grand Lobby, pre-function areas that are bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms, approximately 800 roof deck parking spaces, almost 2,100 miles of cabling to support all IT communications, $10.2 million dollars worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program and a six-acre (Pride Park) and three-acre (Collins Canal Park) public green spaces that can serve as incremental event space. The MBCC Campus includes two new event spaces: Venu, a space for elegant private events and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s restaurant with an enticing tapas-style menu and local South Florida rums. The MBCC is proud to have earned Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, and LEED® Silver Certification as part of the venue’s $640-million expansion project, which includes many environmentally friendly features. A new connected headquarter hotel, a Grand Hyatt, is under development and slated to open in 2027. www.miamibeachconvention.com
