February 2008 | Miami, Fla. | By Ashley Wright

Two Cities, Two Centers, Too Good To Believe

Site Visit By Ashley Wright
There is so much development in downtown Miami these days that Miami Downtown Development Authority officials joke that the new state bird is the “crane.” Almost everywhere you look new shopping centers, condos, hotels and more are sprouting up, while existing buildings are also being updated to keep pace with their newer counterparts.

One of downtown’s more well known structures celebrated its 25th anniversary in July 2007. The Hyatt Regency Miami at Miami Convention Center, which happens to be one of the largest meeting and convention hotel in the city, is wrapping up a $20 million facelift that is transforming the look of the hotel’s 612 guest rooms and has given the lobby a more contemporary feel.

As part of my visit, I was able to tour the meeting space. The hotel features 100,000 square feet of function space that’s shared with the connecting Miami Convention Center and James L. Knight Center. The Miami Convention Center includes 28,000 square feet of exhibit, meeting and banquet space and is located right below the 5,000-seat James L. Knight Center, which offers flexible options for events that require auditorium or concert seating.

While large groups will feel right at home at the hotel and convention center, John Visconti, director of sales and marketing at the hotel, said the center offers flexible options for smaller groups, including curtaining off sections and using lighting options for unused areas.

The University of Miami Conference Center also offers a variety of meeting space options, and is located across from the James L. Knight Center.

Nearby is the recently developed Shops at Mary Brickell Village. The shops offer a great variety of restaurants and boutique shopping.

My December trip to the city also landed me at one of the art world’s most celebrated shows, Art Basel, which is held in Miami Beach. Most of the exhibits were located at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which has an Art Deco, beach flair that fits in perfectly with the nearby hotels. Getting to see the center’s 500,000 feet of exhibit space during this event was a great experience, and I can see where the center provides exceptional space for large events of all kinds.

Also on the beach, Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, located in the evolving Design District, is a restaurant created by Michael Schwartz, a talented chef who has created a cozy, yet urban restaurant.