Miami Beach Hotel That Hosted the Beatles Is Demolished
No more hotel-rooms for this group or that group in Miami Beach. The Miami Beach Hilton was the venue for the Beatles’ first U.S. concert, which they made with the help of British musician George Harrison. Now, it has been razed to build new condos.
It’s a very sad story. The entire lobby and dining room area were demolished on Wednesday, June 8 in a public ceremony in front of the hotel.
The hotel’s owners claim that the new condos will be more environmentally friendly. Well, not really. The condos are very new, but they are essentially the same as they were before. So don’t expect an environmental restoration. It may actually be worse.
The site will still have to be developed and the area is currently slated for an 18-story, mixed-use residential complex. Here’s the text of the press release from the hotel and the City of Miami Beach:
As part of the City of Miami Beach’s redevelopment and revitalization initiative, the Hilton Miami Beach, a historic landmark with a long history of hosting international events, will be demolished and redeveloped as part of a new mixed-use residential complex on its iconic site in Miami Beach. The Hilton Miami Beach is the most photographed building in the world and a destination in its own right, as well as part of Miami Beach’s iconic skyline, offering guests a diverse collection of modern accommodations with modern amenities.
The City of Miami Beach is a proud member of the South Florida Council of Governments, a leader in its industry, and a leader in its community. As part of the City’s City Management Improvement Plan, the Hilton Miami Beach will be converted into a new mixed-use residential complex that will meet the needs of its residents and visitors, while providing an open and accessible path for development within its surrounding community. The conversion of the Hilton Miami Beach into Miami Beach’s newest mixed-use residential community is a partnership between the City, the Hilton Miami Beach’s owner, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Hilton Miami Beach was the site of the first Beatles concert in the United States, which was part of Paul McCartney’s wedding. It opened in 1961 as the