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1675-3 Loews Press [RETURN] to continue or type q to return to Menu: ❑ mh94 LOEWS WINS BATTLE TO BUILD BEACH HOTEL 07/22/1994 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald DATE: Friday, July 22, 1994 EDITION: FINAL SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: 1C LENGTH: 65 lines SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: ANTHONY FAIOLA Herald Business Writer LOEWS WINS BATTLE TO BUILD BEACH HOTEL Soon to be towering 16 stories over the sands of South Beach, a curvaceous new landmark hotel meant to turn back the clock on Dade County tourism. The 830-room Loews Hotel Miami Beach, of a scope and grandeur not seen on this oceanside town in more than two decades, won a fierce contest Thursday before city commissioners for more than $70 million in city incentives. The hotel would become Dade's second largest after the 1,266-room Fontainebleau Hilton on Miami Beach. Construction is slated to begin early next year, and should be completed in 1997. The commission also voted unanimously to begin negotiations for up to $10 million in loans to help build a 265- room Sheraton Suites Resort proposed by four Miami black businessmen. The measure was part of Miami Beach's promise to lure a black hotelier to the island after the end of Dade's black tourism boycott. "This is a historic moment for Miami Beach, " Mayor Seymour Gelber said after unanimous votes on both projects. "We've suffered through some bad times, but if anything is a sign of our new prosperity, this is. " The Loews Hotel, a blue and white modern deco palace, will be situated on a city-owned oceanfront site at 16th Street and Collins Avenue. The project, which incorporates a renovation of the historic St. Moritz Hotel, is expected to buoy the island's vast but money-losing convention center. The next step: City-hired negotiators begin crafting a final contract with the winning partnership between the 14- property Loews chain, controlled by the powerful Tisch Family of New York, and Forest City Ratner Cos. , a huge real estate developer led by the Ratner family` of Cleveland. In addition to the city's incentives, the group also needs to line up additional financing to complete the $165.7 million project. If for some reason those negotiations break down, waiting in the wings will be the other finalists: No. 2 Peabody Hotels and No. 3 Hyatt Hotels. "This is the foundation for a new era in Miami Beach tourism, " said Jonathan Tisch, Loews president. The Tisch family developed the Americana Hotel, now the Sheraton Bal Harbour. The Ratners built the Clevelander Hotel on Ocean Drive. "The Tisch and the Ratners have returned to Miami Beach at a time when the world has rediscovered it, " Tisch said. "This a major statement that the beach is back." Of the three finalists, the Loews proposal demanded the most from the city -- $70.8 million in loans, land and a parking garage. It also took the longest to return the money -- 25 years, compared to five to ten for the other two. However, in the end, commissioners based their decisions on appreciation for the sublime design of the Loews building, and faith in the corporate history of the Tisch and Ratner families. "It's a project that would respect the neighborhood in what has become the popular place for the world, " said Nancy Liebman, Miami Beach commissioner. "A unique blending of the old and new, it contains a sense of scale that respects the historic nature of this community. " The new black-owned hotel, to be constructed directly south of the Loews project, calls for the renovation of the Royal Palm and Shorecrest hotels, and construction of a hotel tower fronting the ocean. The project is being put up by four local entrepreneurs: American Express Vice President Peter J. Calin, Texaco attorney Jerry D. Bailey, Miami investor Marvin Holloway and Eugene Ford Jr. , chief executive of Miami-based Argus Construction. On Thursday, along with the vote, came a flurry of hopes that the two hotels would help spark new era in the region's stagnant hotel industry. "The key is not today, but tomorrow, and the long term impact this is going to have on the town, " said Stu Blumberg, president of the Miami Beach Hotel Resort Association, who built the last major hotel on Miami Beach, the Hilton Plaza (now the Castle Beach) back in 1967. TAG: 9402200118 5 of 11, 14 Terms mh94 TOP PLAN FOR S. BEACH RESORT HAS DECO SPIRIT 06/30/1994 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald DATE: Thursday, June 30, 1994 EDITION: FINAL SECTION: FRONT PAGE: lA LENGTH: 92 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: The Loews (HOTEL-color) , The Grand Hyatt (HOTEL --color) , The Peabody (HOTEL--color) SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: ANTHONY FAIOLA And PETER WHORISKEY Herald Staff Writers TOP PLAN FOR S. BEACH RESORT HAS DECO SPIRIT 16-STORY HOTEL PRAISED FOR ITS DESIGN A proposal shaped by the spirit of the Art Deco historic district won the first round of a competition to design, build and operate a landmark convention center hotel in South Beach. The 830-room hotel, expected to open a new era in South Florida tourism, won the high marks for both architectural design and corporate backing. Miami Beach is offering up to $60 million in incentives to build a hotel at 16th Street and Collins Avenue to anchor its convention center. It will be the first major hotel to be built on Miami Beach in two decades. The front-runner is a partnership between Loews Hotels, controlled by the powerful Tisch Family of New York, and Forest City Ratner Cos. , led by the Ratner family of Cleveland. Both are familiar with South Florida. The Ratners developed the historic Clevelander Hotel on Ocean Drive. The Tisch family -- including CBS Chairman Laurence Tisch -- built the Americana Hotel, known today as the Sheraton Bal Harbour. "We feel this project, located in one of the most well- defined historic districts in the country, is going to turn Miami Beach into one of the most pre-eminent resorts for business and leisure travelers in America, " said Jonathan Tisch, president of Loews, who even dressed up as a woman in the company's presentation video in the hopes some laughter would sway support Loews' way. The selection committee recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission, which will make the final choice later this month. The panel ranked a proposal for an 800-room Peabody Hotel, backed by the Belz family of Memphis, second best. In third place is a proposal backed by Miami-based Plaza Development Corp. and Cuban-American leader Jorge Mas Canosa for an 800-room Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Hyatt proposal was designed by Alan and Morris Lapidus, legendary beach architect and designer of the landmark Fontainebleau Hilton and Eden Roc hotels. The committee also recommended approval for a $10 million loan to help build a 265-room Sheraton Suites Hotel proposed by four Miami black businessmen. The measure was part of Miami Beach's promise to lure a black hotelier to the island after the end of Dade's black tourism boycott. This partnership includes American Express Vice President Peter J. Calin, Texaco attorney Jerry D. Bailey, Miami investor Marvin Holloway and Eugene Ford Jr. , chief executive of Miami-based Argus Construction. After two days of highly charged hearings, where five bidders presented flashy videos, charts -- including a virtual reality tour through one proposal -- the decision rested on two main criteria. Design and economics. "I think the design came first in our minds, " said Arthur Courshon, chairman of the citizens selection committee and chairman of Jefferson National Bank in Miami Beach. "The Loews proposal fit into the community the best. " The Loews design team, John Nichols and Bernard Zyscovich, won unanimous praise for reflecting the surrounding Art Deco influence and for its scale. At 16 stories, it is the shortest of the competitors. Said committee member Vincent Scully, an eminent architectural historian: "It's a wonderful example of using history in the present. There is a sense that the architects care about Miami Beach. " Economics, including marketing strategy and corporate structure, also weighted heavily. The selection committee chose the Loews chain because it was smaller. They felt a smaller outfit would mean that the landmark Miami property would garner more attention from corporate headquarters. Loews manages a chain of 14 hotels worldwide. Yet according to a last-minute review by city consultants, the Loews proposal actually requested more incentive money from Miami Beach coffers than the two runners-up. The $165.7 million Loews proposal asked the city for a total of $70.7 million, in the form of land, city-bond backed financing, and the construction of a parking garage across the street. It will take 25 years before the city is completely paid back. ` The $132 million Peabody proposal asked the city for a total of $61 million, also in land, financing and a parking garage. Under this proposal, the city would get its money back within 10 years. Finally, the $130.5 million Hyatt proposal asked the city for a total of $60.5 million. Under this proposal, the city would get its money back in six years. The selection committee narrowed the field down to three from five bidders. It wasn't an easy process, and it was not without controversy. Neil Fairman, president of Plaza Development Group, backers of the Hyatt proposal, complained that the city's financial consultants -- Arthur Andersen & Co. and Bear Stearns & Co. -- did not provide comprehensive economic comparisons between the different proposals. "Clearly, they didn't do their job, " Fairman said. "All the proposals compared apples and oranges in their numbers, and it was the job of those consultants to do clear the fog for the committee. They didn't do that. " KEYWORDS: ART DECO HOTEL MB COST TAG: 9402150553 7 of 11, 14 Terms mh94 GIANTS VIE TO BUILD GRAND HOTEL ON BEACH 03/08/1994 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald DATE: Tuesday, March 8, 1994 EDITION: FINAL SECTION: FRONT PAGE: 1A LENGTH: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: Ross PEROT, Jorge MAS CANOSA; map: Proposed hotel site in Miami Beach SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: ANTHONY FAIOLA Herald Business Writer GIANTS VIE TO BUILD GRAND HOTEL ON BEACH PEROT, MAS CANOSA AMONG HOPEFULS Ross Perot wants to build it. So does Jorge Mas Canosa. Then toss in about every major name in the tourism business from Ritz-Carlton to Hyatt Hotels. They're all vying for the right to build the first new grand hotel on Miami Beach in 26 years. Late Monday, Miami Beach city officials unveiled six proposals in a worldwide search for developers to build a convention center hotel on 5.5 acres of prime waterfront land at 16th Street and Collins Avenue. The proposals ranged drastically -- from a 50-story Ritz Carlton Tower to 15-story Loews Hotel. The new hotel would be Dade's second largest after the 1,266-room Fontainebleau Hilton. After a decade of unsuccessful attempts to lure developers, Miami Beach lured them with an offer of more than $60 million in incentives -- including land and city-backed bond financing. They had one thing in common: All came with promises of helping return Miami Beach tourism to its glory days. "Miami Beach is going through a great renaissance, " said Morris Lapidus, 91, the legendary architect who designed the Fontainebleau Hilton, the interior of Lincoln Road Mall and other Miami Beach landmarks. Lapidus and his son Allan are part of a group that includes Hyatt Hotels; Mas Canosa, the Cuban- American leader and head of Church and Tower, a phone cable company; and Plaza Development Group, a Miami-based real estate development firm. "This is the heart of the Miami Beach we're talking about, " Lapidus said. "The correct hotel here could help redefine the city. " The Hyatt/Lapidus proposal, a $127 million hotel with 800 rooms, would be like a "modern Fontainebleau" with neon lights illuminating each level of the hotel. The city asked for proposals for more than one hotel site -- and it got them. Two additional bids came for two other sites in the city. One group, backed by media mogul Eugene Jackson, proposed the $45 million renovation of the Eden Roc Hotel into a four- star hotel similar to its early days. In 1972, Jackson started the nationwide Black Radio Network, and is now forming a new cable station called the World Africa Network. The bid includes a partnership with the current owner, Lloyd Goldman. Another group backed by four Miami black businessman proposed a 280- to 300-room hotel adjacent to the primary convention hotel, on property now occupied by the Royal Palm and Shorecrest Hotels. The entrepreneurs include American Express Vice President Peter J. Calin, Texaco attorney Jerry D. Bailey, Miami investor Marvin Holloway and Eugene Ford Jr. , chief executive of Miami-based Argus Construction. But the largest minority proposal came from Atlanta-based H.J. Russell & Co. , one of the biggest minority-owned development companies in the nation. The company, which built the Georgia Dome and is building the new Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, proposed a $130 million Marriott Hotel with 756-rooms. This firm is also a potential bidder for building Northwestern High School project. Ross Perot's .Hillwood Development Corp. is also proposing a Marriott Hotel. Perot wants to build a larger hotel, with 900 rooms, for an estimated cost of $117 million. The proposal with the largest scope comes from Ritz- Carlton, to be built by Pacific International Construction Inc., one of the largest developers on Miami Beach. Pacific International has built the Excellence, The Sterling, and is beginning construction on Sunset Harbour that will front Biscayne Bay. The Ritz-Carlton plan includes a 50-story tower built in a modern deco style, adjacent to a refurbished St. Moritz Hotel. The total project would cost $119 million, and include 900 rooms. Another proposal teams up the Belz family of Memphis, owners of factory outlet stores across the nation, with South Beach restaurateur Tom Billante, owner of Mezzanotte on Washington Avenue, and the Peabody hotel chain. Together, they want to build a $131 million hotel with 800 rooms. The Tisch and Ratner families put forward a proposal that includes Dade builder Armando Codina as a key consultant in the development of the property. The Tisch and Ratner families, two powerful business clans with longtime ties to Dade real estate, joined together in a $135 million bid -- the highest priced of all six -- for an 830-room hotel under the Loews hotel chain. For at least five years, the city-owned land could be leased for next to nothing. Besides that, Miami Beach officials are willing to kick in more than $45 million worth of city- backed bond financing, and possibly a new hotel parking garage. The package from the city also sets aside an additional $10 million for erecting a smaller hotel built by an African American developer, thus satisfying one of the demands of the black tourism boycott that ended last spring. This money is included, regardless of whether or not a minority-owned firm wins the bid for the larger convention hotel. Over the next two months, a citizens panel, to be created by the Miami Beach Commission, will review the proposals and interview applicants. The panel is expected to issue a recommendation to the commission, which will make the final selection sometime in May. Among the criteria that will distinguish each bid: Up front equity investments, size and design, proposed amenities, management and financing plans, and name recognition from major chains. Said Miami. Beach City Manager Roger Carlton: "This leaves no doubt that Miami Beach is ripe for development of a convention hotel. We were overwhelmed by the quality of the bids. Regardless of who is chosen, I don't think there's any way the city can lose." TAG: 9401180148 10 of 11, 4 Terms mh94 POWERFUL FAMILIES BID FOR BEACH HOTEL 03/01/1994 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald DATE: Tuesday, March 1, 1994 EDITION: FINAL SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: 1C LENGTH: 65 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: The AMERICANA HOTEL SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: ANTHONY FAIOLA Herald Business Writer POWERFUL FAMILIES BID FOR BEACH HOTEL CASINO NOT REQUIRED, THEY SAY The Tisch and Ratner families, two powerful business clans with longtime ties to Dade County real estate, are joining together in a bid to build a new 800-room convention hotel on South Beach. The partnership unites the Tisch family of New York -- including CBS Chairman Laurence Tisch and his nephew, Loews Hotels President Jonathan Tisch -- with the Ratners of Cleveland, owners of Forest City Ratner Cos. , a national real estate giant with $2.5 billion in holdings. The high-powered families are the latest to show interest in constructing a convention center hotel on 5.5 acres of land owned by the city of Miami Beach at Collins Avenue and 16th Street. Besides the Tisch/Ratner group, 55 other investors have indicated an interest in the project by requesting bidding packages from Miami Beach city officials. Included in the fray are Donald Trump, Bally Manufacturing Corp. and Hyatt Hotels. The big names underscore the lucrative nature of such a hotel, especially at a time when many are betting on casinos in Florida to boost convention business on Miami Beach -- where no new hotels have been built in more than two decades. Jonathan Tisch said Monday, however, that the companies were interested in the convention center hotel project -- casinos or not. "Our numbers indicate that this hotel will be successful with or without casino gambling, " Tisch said in a phone interview from New York. "We have a history of doing business in Miami, and the need for a large convention hotel in Miami has never been stronger. " Neither the Tisch or Ratner families are strangers to South Florida. In 1957, the Tisch family developed the famed 717-room Americana Hotel. The family sold the property, now the Sheraton Bal Harbour, in 1972. The family was an initial investor in the Deering Bay residential project on Old Cutler Road with local developer Armando Codina, and it owns a stake in the Beacon Centre in West Dade. The Ratners, meanwhile, built the 70-room Clevelander Hotel on Ocean Drive in 1938 -- at a cost of $75, 000. They sold it in 1985 for $1 million. The family also worked with a committee on Mia`mi Beach to develop a revitalization plan for Lincoln Road Mall lastyear. Today, the Ratners own one of the nation's largest real estate development companies. Among their recent projects: the 4.2 million-square-foot Metrotech Center in Brooklyn. The company also intends to build a massive retail/entertainment mall in Atlantic City that will include a hotel and casino. The bid from Tisch/Ratner to build on Miami Beach could have an edge on the others. Miami Beach is offering up to $60 million in land incentives to any hotel developer, but the private investment needed to construct the hotel is high, hovering around $100 million. The families, however, say their proposal includes an undisclosed amount of equity fronted by the families, and a letter from an financial institution willing to fund a first mortgage. Next Monday, both Jonathan Tisch and Bruce C. Ratner will fly into town to present their proposal to Miami Beach officials in person. In the deal, the Ratners would build the project, and the Tisch family would operate it under the Loews name. outlines TISCH CREATION: The Americana Hotel, now the Sheraton Bal Harbour, is shown in 1957. The Tisch family developed the hotel. TAG: 9401160026 PRT Choose print destination or operation STANDARD ALTERNATE TO SIT TRANSFER CANCEL EFT Unrecognized command Choose print destination or operation STANDARD ALTERNATE TO SII TRANSFER CANCEL ❑TRANSFER Choose item to transfer DOCUMENT HEADLINE-LST CURR-ITEM ❑DOCUMENT Enter document number to transfer ❑3,4,5,6 Pause after every page? YES NO ONO Printing . . . Printing . . . Printing . . . Printing . . . Press [RETURN] to continue or type q to return to Menu: ❑ mh97 NEW 17-STORY HOTEL ON S. BEACH 11/23/1997 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1997, The Miami Herald DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997 EDITION: Final SECTION: Neighbors MB PAGE: 2 LENGTH: 102 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: Jonathan Tisch and Pat Riley and Chris Riley, Heather Grosz and Marlene Post and Eddyse Kessler, Ken DeFilippo and Jerry Merlo and Raymond Marin, Yvonne Gomez and Chris Perry and Susan Heyer SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: BEA MOSS Herald Staff Writer NEW 17-STORY HOTEL ON S. BEACH PASSES MILESTONE IN CONSTRUCTION Loews Hotels President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Tisch recently helped with the topping off tradition of placing a tree on top of the new 17-story tower of Loews Miami Beach Hotel at Collins Avenue and 16th Street. Joining him to mark the milestone in the project's development as it progresses toward its October 1998 opening were former Miami Beach Mayor Seymour Gelber , members of the City Commission and more than 200 business and civic leaders. During the ceremonies, Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley and his wife Chris announced they would be co-chairmen of the benefit committee for the gala grand opening in March 1999. Hadassah leader Heather Grosz of Miami Beach recently returned from Israel where she took part in Hadassah's Young Women's Mission. Selected for her outstanding leadership skills, Grosz joined 27 other young women from across the country for an intensive program of seminars, study and sightseeing that examined the social, intellectual and political issues facing Israel today. Selected from among hundreds of nominees, Grosz, a communications coordinator, is a member of the Or Chadash Chapter of the Greater Miami Region of Hadassah. She serves as administrative vice president of her chapter. Bistro opening benefit Local dignitaries gathered at the recent opening of P.F. Chang's China Bistro in North Miami Beach to feast on Chinese cuisine and support the efforts of South Florida Food Recovery. . Throughout its opening week, the restaurant donated a dollar from every check to the organization whose mission is to feed Florida's hungry and homeless. Approximately $2, 000 was raised. Museum benefit The 39th annual Orange Bowl Luncheon and Fashion Show in December will take on a South Beach flair this year and feature fashions by the Lincoln Road boutique Fashion Arena. In years past, the fashion extravaganza has taken place at various locations including the Radisson Mart, the Crowne Plaza and the Biltmore Hotel, said show chairwoman Anne Cruxent of Coral Gables. This year the event, sponsored by Ocean Drive magazine, returns to the Fontainebleau Hilton, where it began in 1958. The show and luncheon is the largest, all-volunteer fund-raiser for the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium and averages about 800 guests each year. A social hour starts it off at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 29, with the luncheon and show following. Tickets range from $100 per person ringside to $65 for general seating. Bus service aboard American Bus Lines will be available from the museum to the Fontainebleau for $10 per person. For more information or tickets, call 285-5500 any time. Volunteer honors For 23 years, the Senior Companion Program sponsored by the Miami-Dade County Community Action Agency has provided volunteer opportunities for seniors to assist frail elderly and adults with special needs, including those with Alzheimer's disease. Those volunteers will be recognized for their dedication at a luncheon in their honor starting at 11 a.m. Dec. 2 at the Wyndham Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1601 Biscayne Blvd. Anyone interested in finding out more about the Senior Companion Program can call program director Cristina Oliva at 347-4851 any time. Fund-raiser for kids A fund-raising party to benefit the Jackson Memorial Foundation will take place Dec. 2 at Morton's of Chicago, The Steakhouse, which recently opened a Miami branch at 1200 Brickell Ave. Guests will be able to sample Morton's fare, which will include hot and cold buffet offerings. Proceeds from the evening will help fund the expansion and modernization of Jackson Children's Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. Tickets for Morton's gala opening are $75. For more information or tickets, call the foundation, 585-7260, any time. If you have news for this column, please send it to Bea Moss, Friends and Neighbors, Neighbors, 7300 N. Kendall Dr. , Suite 760, Miami, FL 33156 or fax to 671-4350. Pictures cannot be returned. If you have questions, call Bea Moss at 671-4341 and leave a message. She returns all calls. HOSPITAL WORKER HONORED Yvonne Gomez, center, of Carol City, a buyer in the materials management department at Parkway Regional Medical Center since 1988, won the hospital's Employee of the Month Award for October. Chris Perry, left, Parkway director of human resources, and Susan Heyer, director of materials management, presented Gomez with her award. cutlines OPEN FOR BUSINESS: At the opening of P.F. Chang's China Bistro in North Miami Beach are Councilman Ken DeFilippo, manager Jerry Merlo and Councilman Raymond Marin. cutlines HOME AGAIN: Heather Grosz, left, of Miami Beach recently returned from Israel where she took part in Hadassah's Young Women's Mission. With her are Hadassah officials Marlene Post, center, and Eddyse Kessler. cutlines BRANCHING OUT: On hand for the tree-topping ceremony at Loews Miami Beach Hotel are Loews executive Jonathan Tisch, left, and Heat Coach Pat Riley and wife Chris. TAG: 9711290647 3 of 29, 10 Terms mh97 ITS SAVING GRACE IS PRINCESS GRACE FAMOUS CASINO IS OVERRATED, B 11/23/199 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1997, The Miami Herald DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997 EDITION: Final SECTION: Travel PAGE: 1J LENGTH: 149 lines ILLUSTRATION: color photo: Monte Carlo Casino (n) , Princess Grace's grave site (n) ; photo: view of Monaco palace (a) ; map: Monaco SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: JAY CLARKE Herald Travel Editor DATELINE: MONACO-VILLE, Monaco ITS SAVING GRACE IS PRINCESS GRACE FAMOUS CASINO IS OVERRATED, BUT OTHER SITES WIN OVER VISITORS TO MONACO Come to Monaco if you will, but don't say I didn't warn you. You'll find plenty to interest you, but this little principality ruled by the Grimaldi family for 700 years isn't all peaches and cream. The famous Monte Carlo Casino, for instance, is about as stodgy a place as you'll ever see. Architecturally, there's no denying it's a Belle Epoque marvel, and it's true it was all glamour and glitter for the scenes filmed there for a James Bond movie. But in real life, gambling there is about as exciting as rolling dice in a funeral home, and I frankly resent paying the 50 francs (about $9) that is charged just to enter the place. Then there's Jimmy'z Disco, a trendy nightspot frequented by the Beautiful People. Order a beer and they'll present a bill for 200 francs, about $38. Even by French Riviera standards, that's astonishing. And lining the narrow streets of Monaco-Ville, the old town atop a rocky headland, is a depressing collection of souvenir shops, fast-food spots and touristy boites. A motion simulator ride sits in the center of one little plaza -- a totally inappropriate sight amid the venerable buildings atop Monaco's —Rock. " But once you stand before the simple marble slab in the cathedral marking the grave of Princess Grace, the American movie star who married Monaco's ruler, Prince Rainier III, your view of Monaco softens. Every day, fresh flowers are placed there. Somebody cares. Monaco is a tiny place, as everybody knows, and expensive and sometimes haughty as well. But here and there amid its forest of high-rises lie some treasures. When you stroll through the nearby Oceanographic Museum, you'll see some of the finest marine exhibits in the world. Check out the 65-foot-long skeleton of a whale harpooned by Prince Albert I, Rainier's great-grandfather, and the diving gear developed by the late oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, who was a director of the museum for three decades. . Founded in 1910 by Albert, a monarch with a scientific mind,the institution also displays a replica of the laboratory he maintained aboard his 1911-1915 marine exploration ship, the Hirondelle II. Real, working palace The Royal Palace, commanding a stunning view of the harbor and its mini-Manhattan landscape, is another fascinating place. Its state apartments are open to the public in the summer and early fall; the private rooms, where Prince Rainier lives, are always off limits. Entering a real, working palace is a treat, even if the portions you see are mainly for show. In the throne room, the four corners of the marble floor are inlaid with crowns. The throne sits under a velvet canopy with the Grimaldi coat of arms -- a shield of vermilion diamonds -- above it. It is here, presumably, that Monaco's 5,000 citizens meet their prince on state occasions. Rainier's actual office is another room whose floors also are inlaid with crowns; his desk is a 17th Century piece rimmed in gilt. From an upstairs loggia, visitors can look into the courtyard, whose walls are covered with frescoes. More frescoes are found inside the palace, along with hundreds of paintings (one of them a lovely 1976 portrait of Princess Grace) and elegant, centuries-old furniture. Obtained through ruse These are works collected in the 700 years since Rainier's ancestor, Francois Grimaldi -- called variously Francois the Spiteful or Francesco the Cunning -- seized the Rock from the Ghibellines through a ruse: Disguised as monks, he and his cohorts gained entrance into the castle, then massacred the garrison. Somewhere along the line, the ambitious Grimaldis expanded their holdings to include a sizable chunk of coastline and also attained royal status, as did another commoner who reportedly is one of Rainier's distant relatives, Napoleon Bonaparte. That relationship is the reason you'll find a Museum of Napoleonic Souvenirs in a separate wing of the palace. Among its exhibits: the French emperor's monocle and hat. From the square outside the palace, visitors can watch the changing of the guard daily at 11:55 a.m. At other times, a single guard paces back and forth in front of the palace entrance, creating a photo opportunity for legions of visitors. Another marvelous photo can be made from the parapet next to the palace, from which one gets a panoramic view of nearly all the principality's 482 acres. Look down on Monte Carlo From that vantage point, it's easy to spot the bulge in the coastline that is the other great gathering spot in Monaco for tourists. Here, in the section of the principality known as Monte Carlo, are found the convention center and Loew's Hotel, and behind them, the Monte Carlo Casino, Hotel de Paris, Cafe de Paris and the gardens of the Place de Casino. The famous Monte Carlo Casino was built by Charles Garnier, designer of the similarly rococo Paris Opera, and it also incorporates an opera house, the Salle Garnier. If you want to enter the casino -- whether to gamble or simply to look at the elegant structure itself -- present your passport and pay 50 francs. (Not nearly as elegant, but vastly more fun, is the large casino in the Loew's Hotel -- and you aren't charged admission. ) Just as elaborately fanciful as the casino in design is the Hotel de Paris, whose rooms in season go for rather princely sums -- as high as $600 a night. It's known also for its restaurant, Alain Ducasse's Louis XV, generally regarded as one of the two best on the French Riviera. (The other is Roger Verge's Moulins de Mougins in the town of Mougins, above Cannes. ) A meal at the Louis XV, with wine, can run $200 a person. Reasonable meals available Dining in Monaco doesn't have to be that expensive, of course. Nor does it have to be in rococo surroundings. Still upscale but pleasantly informal is La Saliere, where you can sample inventive Italian appetizers on an awninged terrace overlooking the old port. On the Rock, the Castleroc restaurant opposite the palace offers Monegasque specialties such as onion tarts and stockfish; it's open only for lunch. And homesick Americans can feast on hamburgers and T-bone steaks in Stars 'N' Bars, a sports bar, or go Tex-Mex at The Texan and come away with a T-shirt. Other worthwhile sites: * The National Museum: This contains a remarkable collection of more than 400 dolls, puppets and mechanical toys. * Exotic Gardens: High above the city, this preserve boasts more than 7,000 succulents and cacti. You can also explore the Observatory Grottos, ancient dwellings of cavemen. * Port of Monaco: Strolling around the U-shaped harbor in season, you can gaze upon some of the largest and plushest yachts in the world. * Museum of Antique Automobiles: Prince Rainier's private collection of 85 beautifully restored vintage cars, including many European models not often seen in the United States, such as a 1903 De Dio Bouton, a 1911 Renault Torpedo and a 1913 Panhard Levassor. * Other gardens: Monaco has several lovely gardens. Princess Grace Rose Garden boasts more than 4,500 rose bushes in its 10 acres in the Fontveille district. Blooms reach their peak from April through June. The pleasant pathways of Saint Martin Gardens wind through Aleppo pines, olive trees and agaves on the Rock. The Japanese Garden in Monte Carlo has gentle hills, waterfalls, sandy beaches and lakes. At the Place de Casino, lovely formal gardens complement the turn-of-the-century buildings. IF YOU GO Location: Monaco occupies a tract of coast three miles long and a half-mile wide (482 acres total) close to the Italian border on the French Riviera. Political structure: A hereditary monarchy. Currency: The French franc. Major events: International Circus Festival, January/February; International Tennis Open, April; International Grand Prix, May; World Music Awards, May; International Fireworks Festival, July/August; Red Cross Gala charity ball, August; Monaco Classic Week (vintage sailboats and cars) , September. Cultural events peak in the winter. Information: Monaco Government Tourist Office, 565 Fifth Ave. , New York, N.Y.10017; (800) 753-9696, or mgto@monacol.org for e-mail. Web site is www. monaco.mc/usa/ cutlines JAY CLARKE / /Herald Staff PANORAMA : Almost all of the tiny principality of Monaco is visible from the parapet next to the royal palace, atop the 'Rock. ' Photos by JAY CLARKE / /Herald Staff ORNATE AND SIMPLE: Monte Carlo Casino, left, was designed in ornate Belle Epoque style by Charles Garnier, who also was the architect for the Paris Opera. The casino also houses an opera house. At right, Princess Grace's simple grave, engraved ' 'Gratia Patricia, " lies inside the Monaco Cathedral. It is always bedecked with flowers. KEYWORDS: PROFILE MONACO STATISTIC HISTORY TAG: 9711260139 4 of 29, 6 Terms mh97 LOEWS HOTEL GREETS 10/29/1997 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1997, The Miami Herald DATE: Wednesday, October 29, 1997 EDITION: Final SECTION: Business PAGE: 7B LENGTH: 111 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: A palm is placed on the rooftop of the Loews Hotel under construction (a) , Jorge Gonzalez (a) SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: By DALE K. DuPONT Herald Business Writer MEMO: see ABOUT LOEWS at end of text LOEWS HOTEL GREETS MANAGER WITH MISSION After a giant crane lifted a coconut palm atop the concrete skeleton of the Loews Miami Beach, Jorge Gonzalez had just one year left to make sure the 800-room luxury hotel opens and operates flawlessly. But the $135 million Loews marking a construction milestone Tuesday is more than just a high-profile project with a boss who's good at logistics. Gonzalez, the hotel's managing director, is easing himself into a community that's counting on the hotel to do everything from increasing convention business and employment to raising industry service standards. It already has been given credit for helping spark neighborhood renovation and development and has a healthy number of advance bookings. "I think service is the biggest challenge we have, " Gonzalez said. But it's nothing new to a man who spent 20 years with Hyatt before joining Ritz-Carlton in 1992 to open its hotel in Cancun the following year. The pitfall in opening a property the size of Loews is finding the proper staff to run it, said Jim Hisle, managing director of the Statler Hotel at Cornell University -- training ground for the school's renowned hospitality program. —It will be a big reflection on how well the hotel operates and on Miami Beach itself. " Too often, many say, hoteliers are just looking for warm bodies to fill a vacancy. Successful operators spend a lot of time and effort on employees. Loews made an effort to get Gonzalez, whose Lincoln Road office gives him a view of the Collins Avenue hotel -- though he doesn't oversee the construction. He was happily working at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples when he got a call about the Loews. He wasn't interested. A week later, he got another call. He thought about it some more. "It's a unique project. There's no other South Beach in the United States, " Gonzalez said. —I don't think there are many other destinations as hot as this, business wise. " And Gonzalez, 43, had made a reputation for him self. Raised in the hotel business in Mexico where his father helped start Balsa Hotels, he thought about being an architect, but dropped out after one year in college. "My true love is the hotel business, " Gonzalez said. He started with Hyatt as a management trainee in Houston, where he loaded and unloaded supplies and had a chain-smoking boss with a Texas drawl so thick he had to ask a co-worker to interpret the orders. Other jobs with Hyatt took him from Puerto Rico to Northern California. Then he joined Ritz-Carlton before coming to Loews a year ago. "He's a very fair individual. Good ethics. A hard worker. He has a lot of empathy for employees, but he also has a good business head, " said Joe Kordsmeier, a former Hyatt executive who has known Gonzalez for more than 20 years. Loews has a reputation for hiring well, said Kordsmeier, who's now getting ready to reopen the Beacon Hotel in South Beach. "They don't go after you unless you have something on the ball. " The project marks the return of Loews' Tisch family to South Florida, where it opened the Americana, now the Sheraton Bal Harbour, in 1956. Loews, a large holding company whose interests include CNA Insurance, Lorillard Tobacco and Bulova, has 14 hotels and resorts. It also is planning two luxury hotels in Orlando. "Their philosophy is to become a community partner. And Jorge is a reflection of their philosophy, " said Stu Blumberg, head of the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association. Gonzalez is on the boards of a number of organizations, including the state and local hotel associations, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. The industry is counting on the new Loews, just blocks from the Miami Beach Convention Center, to attract big conventions. A Loews sales staff already has started booking business: 150, 000 group nights through the end of 1999 -- about half of what's available. 'That's excellent, " said Scott Berman, director of Coopers & Lybrand's hospitality consulting group in Miami. And the Loews expects to run more than 60 percent full its first year. The sales force is finding people who have never been to South Florida or haven't been in years. "Pure fun, " Gonzalez said. "This is what South Beach is. " But he also knows travelers will forget the fun if they aren't treated well at their hotel. "Training just doesn't happen the first three days you hire somebody, " he said. "It has to be constant. " An employee has to feel good about coming to work on a day-to-day basis, " he said. Little things matter. Employee restrooms must be as clean as those for guests. That approach yielded a turnover rate of 30 percent at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun. The industry averages 46.8 percent turnover among non-management employees and 26.8 percent for management, according to the American Hotel & Motel Association. Training pays off, Gonzalez said. Turnover can cost a company $5,000 to $7,000 per employee. "It's an industry where people move a great deal. And Loews doesn't have a reputation for people jumping regularly, " Berman said. The Loews is starting to hire executives. It also will participate in initiatives designed to get people off welfare and expects to hire 25 to 50 workers through the program. ' 'It's a responsibility we should all have, " Gonzalez said. noweb ABOUT LOEWS The Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Collins Avenue at 16th Street was topped off Tuesday and is scheduled to open October 1998: * It will open with 600 employees and hire 200 more in season. * This is the first major hotel to be built in Miami Beach in 30 years. * 700 rooms will be on floors four through 17 in the main building; 100 will be in the art deco St. Moritz, just to the south of the main building. The Fontainebleau Hilton has 1,200; Loews has more rooms than the 600-plus at Sheraton Bal Harbour, Intercontinental, Hyatt Regency and Biscayne Bay Marriott. * Published rates are $200-$385 but will vary. KEYWORDS: PROFILE STATISTIC COST CUTLINES HARLES TRAINOR, JR. / HERALD STAFF TREE TOP: A PALM IS PLACED ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE LOEWS HOTEL UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN MIAMI BEACH. TAG: 9710311133 5 of 29, 43 Terms mh97 BUSINESS NOTES 10/09/1997 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 1997, The Miami Herald DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997 EDITION: Final SECTION: Neighbors MB PAGE: 27 LENGTH: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: photo: Enriques Fefer and Roger Sonnabend and Alan Sonnabend look over a model of the Sonesta Sasson Resort Hotel & Condominiums (n) , Arthur Hertz (n) , Joan B. Stein (n) , Teena Weiss (n) SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: Herald Staff MEMO: BUSINESS NOTES BUSINESS NOTES Local marine contractor and Miami resident Richard A. Bunnell, president of Bunnell Foundation, Inc., has been appointed by the Miami River Marine Group and the South Florida Water Management District as the Miami River industry representative to the newly-created Miami River Study Commission. Darrin Hall has been named assistant vice president of Oral Health Services. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Miami and resides in Miami Beach. Arthur Hertz, chief executive officer of Wometco Enterprises, has been named chairman of the Public Health Trust board of trustees for the 1997-98 fiscal year. The Public Health Trust is an independent governing body concerned with Jackson Memorial Hospital. Sanford B. Horowitz a partner at the firm of Goldstein Schechter Price Lucas Horowitz & Co. , P.A. , Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, has been appointed to the Executive Board of Directors of the Young Presidents Club of Mount Sinai Medical Center. He is a graduate from the University of Georgia and native South Floridian. Christine Kurtz-White, founding director of the Women's Business Development Center at Florida International University, has been named to the advisory board of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council in Washington, D.C. Taryn Schneider has been named director of public relations for the new Loew's Miami Beach Hotel, which opens in the fall of 1998. Joan B. Stein, CPA, has been promoted to manager in the tax department at Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant. She will specialize in complex tax issues for small businesses. She has been with the firm since 1994. She lives in Miami Beach. Teena Weiss, a resident of Miami Beach, has been named the president of the Miami Beach Kiwanis Club, a community service organization focusing on children's issues. The Sanford L. Ziff Jewish Museum of Florida has announced its newly nominated members for the Museum's board of directors. The new additions include Fran Gaynor, Ron Krongold, Phyllis Miller, Robert Segall, Elliot Stone and Stanley Wakshlag. Sonesta Sasson Resort Hotel & Condominiums Miami Beach located at the site of the former Sasson Hotel at Collins Avenue and 20th Street, is a product of a recent merger between Sonesta Hotels & Resorts and owner/developer, Sasson-Fefer Group. The resort is to be opened in the fall of 1999. The Surfcomber Hotel, at 1717 Collins Ave. , has been sold for $8.3 million to Chisholm Properties South Beach, Inc. The Institute of Real Estate Management, South Florida Chapter No. 19, is holding a seminar 11:45 a.m. Oct. 16 at the Miami City Club, 55th Floor, First Union Financial Center, 200 S. Biscayne Blvd. Andrew Dolkart, president of Miami Economic Associates, Inc. , will discuss Dade Revenue Sharing/Incorporation: Impact on Business. Cost is $20 with reservations, $25 at the door and includes lunch. Call 932-4626. Business notes are compiled by Zahra Bhimani. Send all items to Business Notes, c/o Neighbors, 407 Lincoln Rd., Suite 9-D, Miami Beach, FL 33139 or fax them to 532-3009. If the item is about an employee award, promotion, award or a new hire, please include the area in which the person lives. Also include a phone number where you can be reached. CAPTION: GOING UP: Enriques Fefer of the Sasson-Fefer Group, Roger Sonnabend, chairman of Sonesta International Hotels Corp. , and Alan Sonnabend General Manager of Sonesta Beach Resort, look over a model of the Sonesta Sasson Resort Hotel & Condominiums set to open in the fall of 1999. TAG: 9710100368 6 of 29, 9 Terms Transfer complete. Press [RETURN] to return to Menu: Type first letter of feature OR type help for list of commands FIND MOD PRT S-DB DB OPT SS WRD QUIT ❑QUIT Save options? YES NO GROUP ❑NO ❑Connection closed by foreign host. 1- SII Miramar apartment complex into condominiums, the first of what an executive predicted would be a string of Florida acquisitions. Elad Group Florida bought the Villaggio apartments for $43.5 million, said Karen Kondell, the Steel Hector lawyer who represented Elad. Tshuva subsidiaries already have large real estate holdings in Quebec, Montreal and New York, and recently purchased the BellSouth office tower in Jacksonville. "I think there are many more [Florida purchases] to come, " said Elad Florida President Shaoul Mishal. - DOUGLAS HANKS III ADVERTISING MARKETING AGENCY AIMS TO DEFY NORM' Black Sheep Miami, a new marketing agency, joins the city's advertising ranks. The shop, billing itself as a boutique agency for the U.S. Hispanic market and Latin America, launched with three clients: Voy Communications, Saf-T-Pay and American Express. It aims to "defy the norm to help clients stand out. " The agency's two divisions - advertising and direct marketing/customer loyalty - are overseen by four partners: Dan Austin, president; Alejandro Berbari, vice president/creative director; Sebastian Galbusera, design and interactive creative director, and Paulo Claussen, vice president. - CHRISTINA HOAG REAL ESTATE SOUTH BEACH HOTELS TO BECOME ONE South Beach's Edison and Breakwater hotels would be combined into a single property and possibly converted into a hotel-condo hybrid by a Chicago-based developer. The Falor Cos. , which is transforming Islamorada's Cheeca Lodge and Coconut Grove's Mayfair hotel into hotel-condos, has signed agreements to buy the adjoining boutique hotels, said President Robert Falor. The sale is scheduled to close in about two months. Executives at both hotels confirmed the separate agreements. - DOUGLAS HANKS III MEDIA NICKELODEON, MATTEL HIT MARKETING DEAL Miami Beach-based Nickelodeon Latin America has reached a marketing deal with toy-giant Mattel that will feature Mattel-branded programming on the pay TV channel and associated websites. "Teaming two powerhouse brands that cater to kids is a powerful combination and is one we think will distinguish both brands from the clutter in today's overly saturated kids market, " said Melissa Quinoy, senior vice president of international marketing partnerships Latin America for MTV Networks. Nickelodeon Latin America will begin airing Mattel's animated series My Scene, based on Mattel's My Scene dolls, in the fall. - CHRISTINA HOAG RETAIL JEWELER FEATURES STARS IN AD CAMPAIGN Levinson Jewelers wants to encourage consumers to "Live Life . . . . Levinson Style. " The Plantation jeweler's new advertising campaign features 11 South Florida celebrities - including Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, Florida Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine, restaurateur Steve Martorano and hotelier Linda Gill - making a statement about their personality through the Levinson jewelry and watches they wear. - ELAINE WALKER KEYWORDS: TAG: 0405210500 9 of 10, 2 Terms mhcur RITZY LODGE TRANSITIONS TO HOTEL-CONDO HYBRID 02/10/2004 THE MIAMI HERALD Copyright (c) 2004, The Miami Herald DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 EDITION: Final SECTION: Business PAGE: 1C LENGTH: 43 lines SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: By CARA BUCKLEY, cbuckley@herald.com DATELINE: KEY WEST RITZY LODGE TRANSITIONS TO HOTEL-CONDO HYBRID The new owners of Cheeca Lodge & Spa, the upscale Islamorada resort where George H.W. Bush holds his annual bonefish tournament, completed the sale of eight new condominiums last week. The sale finishes the first leg of the conversion of nearly half of the resort's 202 rooms into luxury condos, a strategy to recoup Cheeca's $34.5 million cost. Cheeca Holdings, a partnership of Johnson Resort Properties and The Falor Cos. , finalized its purchase of the 27-acre oceanfront resort from Olympus Real Estate Partners last May. The new owners subsequently put $13.5 million toward renovating the main lodge and converting 96 rooms into condo-hotel units that owners can rent to hotel guests. Despite Monroe County's strict development restrictions, Cheeca Holdings did not need governmental approvals to execute the conversion because the condos still function as hotel rooms, said Don Horton, Islamorada's building services director. Cheeca Holdings pulled the necessary building permits for the renovations, Horton said. Opened in 1946 and home to a 1, 100-foot private beach, multiple restaurants and a nine-hole designer golf course, Cheeca Lodge attracts the likes of the Bush family, retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and golf legend Jack Nicklaus. During peak season, its hotel rooms fetch $550 on average per night. Selling condo units that can be lent to transient guests in hotels is gaining currency in the hospitality industry because it allows developers to recoup their capital up front. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne and Miami Beach's upcoming Canyon Ranch and Fontainebleau III are among the spate of new South Florida resorts that sell condo-hotel units. At Cheeca, 12 eight-unit buildings inland are being refurbished with new roofs, dark woods, marble bathrooms and plasma television sets. Each unit will sell for between $495,000 and $1.44 million, said Robert Falor, president of the Chicago-based Falor Cos. With sales of the first building's eight units now complete, renovations of the second building will begin shortly, and Falor expects all 96 units to be sold within the next six months. KEYWORDS: TAG: 0402120058 10 of 10, 2 Terms Transfer complete. Press [RETURN] to return to Menu: Ci Type first letter of feature OR type help for list of commands FIND MOD PRT S-DB DB OPT SS WRD QUIT ❑QUIT Save options? YES NO GROUP ❑NO ❑Connection closed by foreign host. 1- SII 2- SAVE 3- DUMP 4- Exit :4 s