Talk to any resident or visitor and they’ll tell you that Miami Beach has it all: sun, sand, and salsa—not to mention world-class cuisine, shopping, and entertainment. What tourist hasn’t considered delaying his or her flight home to stick around in paradise just one more day? But to government officials and the local tourism industry, Miami Beach needs one additional thing to complete the perfect picture: a convention center hotel.
Last year, the Miami Beach City Commission unanimously agreed to move forward with a $596 million project to expand and renovate the Miami Beach Convention Center. The location of Art Basel in Miami Beach and Maison&Objet Americas, the convention center is home to some of the region’s largest tourism draws.