It’s a good time to book South Florida.
Urban development is spawning meetings innovation throughout South Florida. One case in point: The evolution of the parking garage. A planned 428-space garage at the base of Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard bridge will soon be decked out in LED lights that can mimic crashing waves or fireworks. The five-level, $21 million garage will even have a rooftop restaurant and space to host events. In Miami Beach, the seven-level 1111 Lincoln Road has an event deck that has been used for photo shoots, receptions and movie screening events, while housed on the fifth level is a glass-encased fashion boutique called Alchemist.
Groups who have yet to meet in Miami’s South Beach may experience a bit of deja vu upon visiting The Temple House, a former synagogue designed by famed Art Deco-era architect L. Murray Dixon that has been prominently featured in popular films, TV shows and music video productions. The 16,000-sf event space holds room for up to 500 attendees, who are readily entertained by 360-degree projection mapping that can be customized to accommodate any ambiance—whether the experience of being inside a computer, an ice house or meeting messaging or branding.
The Grand Room, with its 25-ft arched ceilings and mezzanine is a popular gathering spot for creative events; the Grecian-style outdoor terrace and outdoor deck are magnets for cocktail receptions. An in-house events team can help with storyboarding, logistics, F&B (there is a full catering kitchen on-site) and security, among other things, and coordinates room blocks with local hotels. The real beauty of The Temple House, however, is its blank canvas vibe, i.e., an ability to transform into what you need it to be.
South of Miami in Key Largo, groups are experiencing a transformation of another kind. Workshops at Ocean sirens include a mermaid tail fitting and rental, instruction in breathing techniques and swimming with the tail, and information about the history and fantasy of mermaids. This is during the “Discover Mermaiding” experience, and its counterpart, “Advanced Mermaiding” expounds on this by teaching attendees how to perform handstands, bubble blowing or underwater flips. Much less work but equally fun is the “Mermaid Beach Experience” where attendees can strike a pose on the beach in full mermaid garb for photo shoots and cocktails. Meanwhile, mermaid storytelling is on the agenda in the Middle Keys at the newly renovated 177-room Hawks Cay Resort, a AAA Four-Diamond Preferred Hotel Group member.
