Regular visitors to the Miami Beach Convention Center should start saying their farewells to its colourful, retro swirled carpets, which date back to the 1950s. The first phase of a $600m renovation and expansion project begins shortly after this year’s edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach closes, and promises a state-of-the-art facility and new outdoor public spaces.
The plans include a proposal for an 800-room hotel, developed by Portman Holdings, which requires the approval of 60% of voters in a public vote to be held in March 2016 (postponed from November). In August, the Miami Herald reported that 56.5% of voters were likely to approve the plan. This week, Philip Levine, the mayor of Miami Beach, reiterated the potential benefits of the hotel to the city’s residents, including an expected reduction of traffic in South Beach.
Representatives of the City of Miami and Art Basel in Miami Beach have been reassuring visitors and exhibitors this week that the fair will not be interrupted by the work, which will be largely complete by the time of its 2017 edition. According to a construction contract presentation released in May, if “key Art Basel milestones” and “substantial completion” are not achieved by May 2018, the city can demand $15,000 a day in damages from contractors. The renovation is estimated to generate $5bn over 30 years.