South Florida

How resorts are changing in South Florida. See what’s new and what’s coming

Stories by Miami Herald journalists, with AI summarization

South Florida resorts are changing with major projects and upgrades.

The Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key will close for demolition and return as two sleek towers focusing on luxury residences and an updated hotel experience. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne is undergoing a $100 million renovation, temporarily laying off workers as it makes updates.

In Fort Lauderdale, the opening of the new Las Olas Marina brings superyacht facilities and high-end dining to the waterfront. Meanwhile, new legislation makes it easier for historic coastal hotels, particularly in Miami Beach, to be demolished, paving the way for further development.

View of the piece titled “Patria y Vida” by Cuban-American artists Antonia Wright and Rubén Millares, a large-scale light sculpture that celebrates people’s right to peacefully protest including Cuba where many were sentenced to prison after the anti-government protests that took place on July 11th, 2021. This project is part of the City of Miami Beach’s A No Vacancy Project in partnership with Faena Art, for the Miami Art Week 2022, on Tuesday November 12, 2022. By Pedro Portal

NO. 1: DESANTIS SIGNS BILL THAT MAKES DEMOLISHING HISTORIC FLORIDA BUILDINGS EASIER

Bill proponents have said the changes are crucial to ensuring that buildings are up to code near Florida’s coast. | Published March 22, 2024 | Read Full Story by Alexandra Glorioso

The Las Olas Marina is officially open after eight years of planning and negotiating.

NO. 2: SUPERYACHTS AND HIGH END RESTAURANTS: FORT LAUDERDALE UNVEILS NEW $130 MILLION MARINA

It includes spaces for superyachts. | Published October 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Amanda Rosa

The Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key will be demolished for two new resort and condo towers. By PATRICK FARRELL

NO. 3: A SIGNATURE MIAMI LUXURY HOTEL IS CLOSING AND WILL BE REPLACED BY TWO NEW TOWERS

What we know about the plans. | Published December 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by vsreeharsha@miamiherald.comVinod Sreeharsha

The Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne opened in 2001. By Chuck Fadely

NO. 4: A MAJOR MIAMI HOTEL IS CLOSING FOR A $100M REMODEL THAT WILL LAY OFF HUNDREDS OF WORKERS

Here’s the timeline for the changes to a signature resort. | Published March 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.