A major Miami hotel is closing for a $100M remodel that will lay off hundreds of workers
Changes are coming to a Key Biscayne luxury resort, and hundreds of South Florida workers will temporarily lose their jobs for at least six months.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami will close in May for what it calls a large-scale renovation. About 425 hotel employees will be laid off. The hotel revealed those plans in a letter to Florida officials, required as part of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, a federal law known as WARN.
“The temporary layoffs are expected to begin between May 1, 2025, and May 14, 2025, most likely at the close of business on May 1, 2025”, Sandra Lopez, market director of human resources for Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, wrote in the Feb. 24 letter to local and state officials. WARN requires companies with more than 100 employees to give public notice ahead of mass layoffs or closure of employment sites.
“The renovation project is expected to take at least six months but may last longer,” the letter said. “The hotel will be closed during the renovation,” the reason for the job cuts, Lopez explained.
Another hotel spokesperson told the Miami Herald on March 4 that the shutdown would last until Dec. 15.
About the Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne
Gencom, a Coconut Grove-based U.S. investment firm and the resort’s original developer in 2000, is leading the $100 million upgrade. That’s the same group redeveloping the site of the Hyatt Regency and James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami and that owns the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami.
The Key Biscayne luxury hotel, at 455 Grand Bay Drive on the five-mile barrier island off Miami, has long been popular with tourists and locals. The 13-story resort has 291 rooms and includes 1,000 feet of beach access, several swimming pools, a Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center, and a spa and fitness center.
Seafood restaurant Lightkeepers is popular for its weekend brunch and mimosas, and Mexican restaurant Cantina Beach has oceanfront tables.
Key Biscayne stayed out of the limelight for decades. In the 1950s, the Mackle brothers built distinct but simple homes, many purchased by World War II veterans using GI bill benefits. But Key Biscayne gained attention when President Richard Nixon kept a home there, which he dubbed his “Winter White House.”
Then came condos. And in the 1980s, a higher bridge was built, making development and driving easier.
Ritz-Carlton developer Gencom declined to comment or provide details on the renovation plans for the hotel, including what will happen to condos on the property.
But when Gencom bought back the resort in 2024 after selling two-thirds 10 years ago, the company said it would upgrade guest rooms, restaurants and bars, public spaces and guest amenities. The hotel opened in 2001.
“We look forward to achieving the property’s full potential by embarking on a renovation to ensure it remains a top luxury resort as Miami’s international epicenter continues to expand,” Gencom founder Karim Alibhai said at that time. “We are excited to retake control of the asset for a long-term hold.”
But what happens to employees in the long-term is uncertain.
A Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne spokesperson said “the resort has kept our staff informed throughout the planning process” and workers would be brought back once the hotel is ready.
The resort and the WARN letter didn’t provide information on whether laid-off workers will get financial support during the hotel closing and renovation.
MORE: An 85-year-old hotel in Miami Beach just got a $100M upgrade
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 8:40 AM.