Billionaire Jeffrey Soffer’s proposal to add cabanas and waterslides to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel is facing increasing opposition from city officials and local residents. The planned renovations, which would introduce a large water park-style amenity to the historic 1,593-room resort at 4441 Collins Avenue, are scheduled for a vote by the city’s Historic Preservation Board on February 10.
Mayor Steven Meiner and City Commissioner Tonya Bhatt have joined with residents, activists, and preservationists who argue that the project will negatively affect traffic, noise levels, and the neighborhood environment. Mayor Meiner voiced his concerns on social media after a MidBeach Neighborhood Association meeting.
“The resident outcry against this project over traffic, noise, and neighborhood impacts has been understandably loud, and I share these concerns,” Meiner wrote.
In an interview with The Real Deal, Meiner described widespread opposition among constituents. “It is hard to find a resident who is supportive of the project,” he said.
Although Meiner and other commissioners do not have authority over the decision—the responsibility lies with the Historic Preservation Board—they have expressed their objections based on safety, environmental impact, and community feedback. The board postponed its initial vote in November to allow Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development to revise its plans by reducing the height of certain structures.
Fontainebleau Development responded by lowering the cabana structure from three stories to two stories and decreasing the waterslide tower from 12 stories to 10 stories. In a statement, Fontainebleau Development said that these revisions were made in response to input from both the community and the Historic Preservation Board. Senior vice president Anthony Stahl stated during a Zoom meeting that upgrading poolside amenities would help increase room rates and support maintenance of the hotel’s historic main building designed by Morris Lapidus.
Stahl addressed concerns about public access by stating that “the slides and amenities are meant for hotel guests rather than day visitors.” He also noted that while day passes would include access to waterslides, “we don’t want to have adults popping bottles, partying, loud music. The intent is for all that to go away.”
Some local leaders remain skeptical of these assurances. Attorney Marc Weiss argued that allowing online purchase of day passes could turn the site into a public attraction: “Theme parks bring a ratchet crowd,” Weiss said. “It’s tacky.”
Commissioner Bhatt criticized the plan as disrespectful to Lapidus’ architectural legacy: “Morris Lapidus would be turning in his grave,” Bhatt said. “We are united, we are angry, we are going to fight this…This is unthinkable.”
The fate of Soffer’s renovation plan will be decided at next month’s Historic Preservation Board meeting.
