Will the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables start charging for parking? What to know
You may soon find yourself paying for parking the next time you visit the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
Coral Gables Commissioners voted 4-1 on Thursday to let the Biltmore operators charge for parking in the hotel’s west lot, which has been free for years. Under the contract, money made from parking must be used to improve the parking lot and to help with hotel renovations.
The city is also working with the National Park Service to convert the remaining portion of the lot “from public park to historic surplus property,” a process that needs to happen before people can be charged for parking in the entire lot, according to the proposed agreement. Some frequent visitors to the Biltmore would still be eligible for free parking, including members of the hotel’s golf course and fitness center.
“This is something that was long overdue since 2022 as we’ve been trying to get this over the finish line,” said Tom Prescott, the Biltmore’s president, explaining that people have been parking at the hotel and then going elsewhere, causing parking issues for guests and members.
The city of Coral Gables owns the Biltmore and leases the hotel to longtime operator Seaway Corporation, a company founded by Gene Prescott and is now managed by his son Tom. The hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.
Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, and Commissioners Melissa Castro and Richard Lara voted yes to move forward with the parking fees. Commissioner Ariel Fernandez voted no.
“This is something that I’ve been against since the beginning,” Fernandez told the Miami Herald after the vote. “I think residents should have access to this parking lot whenever they need it. It is something that they have had access to for 100 years. ... I do not believe that residents should have to pay for this parking.”
The vote comes a few months after commissioners had unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by Lago to let City Manager Peter Iglesias and City Attorney Cristina Suárez negotiate with the Biltmore to implement a paid parking system. Fernandez was absent from the meeting.
Here’s what to know about the proposed change.
Why is the Biltmore charging for parking?
The city has noted that it’s rare to find a hotel that offers free parking nowadays and says charging visitors for parking will help manage the costs of renovations and repairs at the Biltmore and help curb an ongoing parking shortage.
Prescott, Lago and Anderson said people are taking advantage of the free lot and parking their cars at the hotel before going to the airport or elsewhere. The hotel currently has signs warning people that unauthorized vehicles can be towed.
“You had contractors working in homes in the local area. You had residents even that would come and park their car, whether going on a trip and leaving their car while they take an Uber to the airport,” and other unauthorized parkers, said Prescott. He said the number of unauthorized parkers was impacting the hotel’s ability to provide the best experience for the many events and guests it sees.
Lago, after the vote, told the Herald that the decision to charge for parking “strikes the right balance between maintaining access while safeguarding the future of the Biltmore for generations to come.” He’s also previously said it’ll help increase safety.
“The Biltmore is one of our community’s most treasured landmarks, and it is our responsibility to ensure its long-term preservation,” Lago said in a statement. “Paid parking is a best practice at luxury hotels across the country, and this agreement will generate a dedicated source of funding for restoration while also addressing issues like long-term airport parking in the west lot.”
Prescott told the commission in July that the hotel could likely generate millions in parking revenue.
How much will parking be?
Hotel guests and visitors who park at the Biltmore, including those who go watch a show at GableStage, will initially be charged $4 per hour and up to a maximum of $30 a day, according to the proposed contract.
Once the deal is finalized, people will have the option of paying with PayByPhone or ParkMobile, another parking app option that was recently added across the Gables. With the exception of a few weeks in 2022, the Biltmore has traditionally offered free parking.
Who does not have to pay?
Not everyone will have to pay for parking at the Biltmore. The agreement states the following people will continue to get free parking:
- City of Coral Gables officials on municipal business
- Biltmore Golf Course members. The city says members’ license plates will be preloaded into the parking system to ensure seamless access.
- Non-member golfers will get up to six hours of free parking with a verified paid receipt or up to two hours of free parking if using the driving range with a verified paid receipt.
- Biltmore Club and Fitness members
- Biltmore executive office tenants
- Coral Gables Garden Club members for Garden Club meetings or their specific related business purposes
- Biltmore employees
- The Biltmore, with approval from the city manager, will also be able to offer free parking to “certain VIPs.”
- Certain groups or businesses that already have an existing contract with the Biltmore for a future event. They would need prior approval by the city manager.
Free parking will also continue to be provided in the west lot for certain events, as long as the hotel gets the OK from the city manager. Those events include the city’s popular annual July 4th holiday celebration, the MODA-Miami annual car auction and the Biltmore’s Centennial celebration, according to the agreement.
Prescott said the goal is not to “penalize” frequent Biltmore visitors, many of whom live in the Gables, but to target those who were not spending time at the hotel.
The city says the parking change will also not impact people who play tennis and pickleball at the William Kerdyk Tennis Center because they already have designated parking on the east side of the property.
What will the money earned from parking be used for?
Hotel operators will be required to use all the money generated from parking to cover the cost of parking lot improvements. Once the parking lot project is complete, operators must use 100% of the money earned from parking to cover the cost of restoration work at the property, according to the agreement.
As part of the contract, the Biltmore will be required to store all the money it makes from parking in a separate bank account and provide the city detailed financial reports that include, among other things, information on how much parking revenue was generated and how the money was used for approved improvements or restoration projects.
