Haute Secrets Miami

Name: R. Donahue Peebles

The stats: Born in Washington, D.C.; lived in Miami since 1995, initially Miami Beach, but now lives in Coral Gables.

Why he loves Miami: Watching my children relish the outdoors year-round, more specifically jumping in the pool and going to the beach!

All-around favorite locale: The drive down Old Cutler Road in my convertible.

Don Peebles, chairman and CEO of Peebles Corp., recently made an appearance on CNBC to speak about the housing market and economic crisis in Las Vegas. According to Peebles, “Las Vegas will reinvent itself as it always has, and it will create its own demand.” The developer believes it is now a good time to buy and revealed his confidence by purchasing 60 percent ownership in the Mardi Gras Casino.

Peebles has always strove to set an example. In the 1990s, he opened the country’s first majority African American-owned hotel in hopes of settling a tourism boycott. The hotel was torn down sometime later and reopened as the new Royal Palm in 2002.

Not only a developer, Peebles raised funds for Barack Obama during the 2008 election cycle and urged Congress for financial reform.

Find out Peebles’ favorites of Miami at Haute Secrets.