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Miami Beach Convention Center Advances Upgrades and Hotel Project

June 17, 2026

By Mark Hebert

Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) is moving through the first half of fiscal year 2026 with major venue upgrades, hotel construction, and a busy event calendar.

The updates include 31 active capital projects totaling about $27 million. They also include venue-wide Wi-Fi 7, full LED lighting across the facility, and continued work on the 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach.

Hotel project advances near MBCC

Construction continues on Grand Hyatt Miami Beach, a $600 million headquarter hotel project. The hotel will connect to MBCC through a climate-controlled skybridge.

Terra and Turnberry are developing the 17-story hotel. It is scheduled to open in late 2027. Plans call for 800 guest rooms, including 52 suites. The property will also include four floors of meeting and ballroom space, a rooftop pool deck, restaurants, bars, and retail space.

In the coming months, crews are expected to reach several milestones. Those include a topping-off ceremony and installation of the glass skybridge linking the hotel to the convention center.

“The realization of a physically connected 800-room headquarter hotel marks a historic milestone and a real gamechanger for the MBCC, Miami Beach, and Miami-Dade County,” says Freddie Peterson, general manager of Miami Beach Convention Center, which is managed by Oak View Group.

Venue upgrades include Wi-Fi 7 and LED lighting

MBCC completed a $1.7 million lighting project in May. The project replaced more than 550 fixtures across four exhibition halls, covering 500,000 square feet, with energy-efficient LED lights.

The venue says the work makes MBCC a 100 percent LED facility across its 1.4 million square feet of event space. In addition, LED upgrades are continuing in the venue’s 84 meeting rooms.

Smart City Networks, the venue’s internet technology provider, also completed a venue-wide Wi-Fi 7 rollout in May. The project added 460 new Wi-Fi access points and upgraded network infrastructure.

The upgrade came ahead of Consensus by CoinDesk. It also supports upcoming events, including SIBOS and Adobe MAX in fall 2026.

Digital and food service updates continue

The convention center is also expanding its digital and audiovisual assets through its partnership with Encore. In 2025, the City of Miami Beach invested $1.5 million in four large LED video walls in the West Lobby.

Encore and Oak View Group plan to upgrade or replace more than 80 fixed digital LED assets in the venue by fall 2026.

Other upgrades include a $300,000 point-of-sale terminal replacement for Sodexo Live!, the venue’s food and beverage provider. The venue also plans to add new permanent and portable café options in the lobby and second floor. In addition, it plans kitchen equipment upgrades.

Events bring 500,000 guests

The MBCC welcomed about 500,000 guests across 140 regional, national, and international events during the first part of fiscal year 2026.

Major returning events included Art Basel, Cosmoprof, Miami International Boat Show, and Seatrade Global. The venue also hosted College Football Playoff Fan Central. Other events covered health, fitness, finance, fintech, technology, education, sports, arts and culture, special events, and corporate meetings.

Upcoming 2026 events include Florida Supercon, July 10-12, and SIBOS, Sept. 28-Oct. 1. SIBOS will come to Miami for the first time. Organizers project the event will generate $40 million in regional economic impact.

Jupiter Entertainment, Media and Sports Festival will host its global gathering at MBCC Oct. 7-9. Adobe MAX Creativity Conference is scheduled for Nov. 10-12 and is expected to generate $25 million in economic impact. Art Basel is scheduled for Dec. 2-6 and is expected to draw more than 80,000 visitors.

Sustainability work remains part of strategy

MBCC recently earned Gold Certification for Sustainability and Social Impact from the Events Industry Council (EIC). The venue also maintains a 4 Green Keys rating through Green Key Global and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

Its sustainability programs include the CARE initiative, which donates leftover event materials to community organizations. Sodexo Live! also runs composting and food donation programs at the venue.

In addition, the Rum Room and Venu, the MBCC Campus’ onsite restaurant and private event venue, recently marked their third anniversary with an Earth Day-inspired event.

About Miami Beach Convention Center

Miami Beach Convention Center was reimagined through a $640 million renovation completed in 2020. The venue includes nearly 500,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, four junior ballrooms, 84 breakout rooms, pre-function space, roof deck parking, public art, and nearby green spaces at Pride Park and Collins Canal Park. A connected Grand Hyatt headquarter hotel is under development and scheduled to open in 2027. For more info, visit www.miamibeachconvention.com.