TSNN On Site: Hyatt Breaks Ground on 800-room Headquarters Hotel in Miami BeachTSNN On Site: Hyatt Breaks Ground on 800-room Headquarters Hotel in Miami Beach
TSNN was on site for this major hotel groundbreaking and brings you exclusive interviews with David Whitaker, President and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Hyatt Group President for the Americas Pete Sears.
May 22, 2025
After years of planning, civic leaders, developers, and meeting and hospitality executives gathered last Friday in Miami Beach, Fla., to officially break ground on a new 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach that will be connected via skywalk to the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC).
Slated to open in late 2027, the center’s first-ever headquarters hotel is expected to reshape the tourism and convention landscape of Miami Beach by helping to attract larger conventions and international events that have previously bypassed the city due to a lack of connected lodging.
Defining Moment for Events in Miami
“This is a defining moment for our convention and trade show eco system,” said David Whitaker, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). “Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will further strengthen our ability to compete for premier meetings, trade shows, and conventions by offering a level of integration and convenience that meeting planners increasingly value. With direct access to our state-of-the-art Miami Beach Convention Center and the vibrant energy of Miami Beach just steps away, this hotel adds an exciting new dimension to the experience we offer.”
Watch our exclusive interview with Whitaker:
In addition to Whitaker, Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony attendees included Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner; Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Terra CEO David Martin; Turnberry Chairman & CEO Jackie Soffer; and Hyatt Group President for the Americas Pete Sears.
Major Investment Signals Market Confidence
“Grand Hyatt Miami Beach is a major investment in our city’s future — bringing jobs, quality year-round tourism, and long-term economic growth,” Meiner said. “Miami Beach remains a sought-after destination for its beauty and growing reputation as a safe, strong, and sophisticated city. This groundbreaking is further evidence that investor confidence in Miami Beach has never been higher.”
The groundbreaking of the 17-story hotel, designed by world-renowned architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica, marks a milestone in Miami-Dade County’s efforts to enhance tourism infrastructure, attract large-scale events, and stimulate year-round economic development. The county contributed $75 million to help secure the funding required to launch construction.
“Groundbreakings like this one inspire me because we are shaping the future today,” Cava said. “With over 28.2 million visitors last year and a tourism industry that generated more than $31.1 billion in economic impact, this hotel is an investment in the future of Miami-Dade. It will create jobs, support local businesses, and strengthen our reputation as a world class destination for global events.”
Slated to open in 2027, the Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will be located blocks from the South Beach.
Infrastructure Upgrades Position Miami for Global Events
Located at 17th Street and Convention Center Drive, the new hotel complements ongoing infrastructure upgrades throughout Miami-Dade County, including a $9 billion modernization of Miami International Airport and the recent opening of the largest cruise terminal in the country at Port Miami.
“The addition of Grand Hyatt Miami Beach directly connected to our world-class convention center further propels the city into the premier league for global meetings, events, trade shows, and conventions. This groundbreaking is truly transformative for the MBCC, our entire campus and the destination,” said Freddie Peterson, general manager of Miami Beach Convention Center, representing Oak View Group.
He added, “With a $640 million newly reimagined MBCC and a $600 million investment in the Grand Hyatt, we are further elevating our commitment to excellence, delivering exceptional events and creating memorable experiences for our guests. This will truly unlock larger business opportunities that were previously out of reach due to the lack of an attached hotel, driving substantial growth and prosperity for all.”
Miami Beach Convention Center team at the Grand Hyatt groundbreaking on May 16, 2025.
Hiring Underway as Hyatt Eyes 2027 Opening
The project is being developed in partnership with Turnberry, Terra Group, Hyatt Hotels Corp., and the City of Miami Beach, with support from the GMCVB.
“We've got over 60 Grand Hyatts around the world, almost all of them in gateway cities or top tier resort destinations,” Sears said. “We have about another 60 in the pipeline, so Grand Hyatt is a really hot brand right now.”
In an exclusive interview onsite, Sears told us the company will be opening a handful of new Grand Hyatt properties in the Americas in the next couple years in destinations like Los Cabos, Mexico, St. Lucia, Grand Cayman, Mexico City, and Cancun. "It's a really important growth brand for us right now,” he said.
In Miami Beach, the new hotel is hiring. “We will soon have a director of sales in place [and] we're interviewing different people at Hyatt, so we're looking forward to start getting business on the books,” Sears said.
When asked what he's hearing and seeing from group business customers, he told us “Business has never been better. We, like everyone, saw a dip after COVID and were wondering if that group business would ever come back. It came back stronger than ever.”
He continued, “It's been even––in this uncertain time that we have today. Group is really strong; it's holding up the group. Leadership that are hosting these events are investing in the people who are coming. They're spending more money on food and beverage. They're spending more money to do different things to make their events special.”
Listen to our full interview with Sears:
Track the hotel’s progress via a live camera feed that shows construction in real time here.
The new Grand Hyatt Miami Beach is adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center
