On Friday, November 5, the world’s first JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, along with Mr. J.W. Marriott, Jr., City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and the Maestro Eduardo Marturet-led 80-piece Miami Symphony Orchestra, welcomed over 600 esteemed members of the community and renowned executives from around the globe for an exclusive luncheon in celebration of the hotels’ Grand Opening.
The event featured a presentation of downtown Miami’s transition from the 19th century to today. In 1897, on the very grounds of the JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Henry Flagler opened the area’s first luxury hotel – the Royal Palm Hotel. It was five stories tall, almost 700 feet long and dwarfed everything else in the infant city, creating a new standard for hospitality in that era.
Today, as Miami continues to define itself as a global destination, the launch of the 41-story JW Marriott Marquis and Hotel Beaux Arts are once again, like the Royal Palm, establishing a new benchmark for our City.
The celebration began with a welcome reception where guests enjoyed music, hors d’oeuvres and a special exhibit of historical artifacts from the Royal Palm – including china, old menus, keys, photos and other artifacts – all curated by History Miami, the city’s premier cultural institution. At 12:45 p.m., the doors to the hotel’s 20,000-sq-ft Grand Ballroom – the largest ballroom in downtown Miami – opened and the room exploded in music as Maestro conductor Eduardo Marturet led the entire Miami International Symphony Orchestra in a beautiful rendition of Bolero. Following the performance was a colorful multi-media video presentation that told the story of Miami’s evolution to becoming the leading international city that it is today.
Serving as the Master of Ceremonies, Barry Johnson, President of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, introduced Mr. J.W. Marriott, Jr., who congratulated the hotel, welcomed guests and gave the key note address. Following Mr. Marriott’s remarks, City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado presented Mr. Marriott and the hotel’s with a formal Proclamation, declaring November 5, 2010 as the official Grand Opening of the world’s first JW Marriott Marquis and Hotel Beaux Arts.
Additional special guests included: Arne Sorenson, President and COO of Marriott International; Kathleen Matthews, Executive Vice President of Global Communications for Marriott International; Rob Steigerwald, Chief Operations Officer – America’s South region for Marriott International; Carlos Dominguez, Senior Vice President of Cisco; Rik and Raquel Watters, owners of Rik Rak Salon & Spa; Jim McLean, owner of Jim McLean Golf Schools; and Daniel Boulud, famed chef-restaurateur and owner of Florida’s first db Bistro Moderne in the JW Marriott Marquis.
“We believe we have raised the bar of hospitality in the City of Miami in the same manner Henry Flagler did 113 years ago,” said Florencia Tabeni, the hotel’s General Manager. “The opening of this extraordinary property furthers Miami’s standing as one of the world’s great international destinations.”
The JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami are located at 345 Avenue of the Americas. For more information on the JW Marriott Marquis Miami visit www.jwmarriottmarquismiami.com. For more information on the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, visit www.hotelbeauxartsmiami.com.
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