After three decades, the annual yacht show is leaving Miami Beach for new waters

The Miami Yacht Show is on the move.

After 30 years along Indian Creek across from the Fontainebleau hotel, the show will cross the causeway next year and be based in Miami.

The Miami Beach show is best known for its large vessels — and heavy traffic, both in the waterways and on Collins Avenue.

Next year, the Miami Yacht Show moves to Biscayne Bay in Miami between the Venetian and MacArthur causeways, where the former Miami Herald building sat for a half century. The property at One Herald Plaza is now owned by Resorts World Miami and was recently home to a major art fair during Miami Art Week.

Along with increased parking (expected 3,500 spots), water taxis will carry showgoers between the main site and a secondary site at Watson Island’s Island Gardens Deep Harbour marina.

“This is a collaborative move that is designed to make Miami's boat show week an easily accessible, interconnected system of events,” Andrew Doole, general manager of Informa, the Miami Yacht Show's co-owner and producer, said in a statement. “The show will be better positioned for growth with additional land space to enhance and expand VIP lounges and add entertainment and additional concession options, as well as benefit from the proximity to Island Gardens Deep Harbour for yachts up to 400 feet.”

The Miami Yacht Show is separate from the Miami International Boat Show, which also runs the same dates in February every year. The larger Miami Boat Show, with “Miami Vice”-style TV commercials, is now based at Miami Marine Stadium along the Rickenbacker Causeway.

This story was originally published February 19, 2018 at 11:01 AM with the headline "After three decades, the annual yacht show is leaving Miami Beach for new waters."