The renewal marks a major technology upgrade featuring Wi-Fi 7, enhanced cybersecurity, and advanced network redundancy at one of the country’s premier convention destinations.
submitted by Nell Cameron, Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC)
Miami Beach, Florida — The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC), South Florida’s largest convention center, and Smart City Networks, the nation’s leading provider of technology services for the meetings and events industry, announced the renewal of their partnership, building on more than two decades of innovation and collaboration. Smart City Networks’ renewed agreement as the exclusive internet technology provider at the MBCC Campus runs through 2029 with option to extend. The company is proud to introduce a flexible business model that includes enhanced cybersecurity services and admin network management designed to meet the evolving needs of the MBCC Campus, which is owned by the City of Miami Beach and managed by Oak View Group.
Under the renewed agreement, Smart City Networks will provide a comprehensive network infrastructure upgrade, positioning the MBCC among the first convention centers in the United States to implement Wi-Fi 7, which offers increased speed and reliability, ultra-low latency and multi-gigabit connectivity.
Exhibitors will benefit from this next-gen booth technology by gaining the ability to deploy high-bandwidth applications such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) demonstrations, live product showcases, and high-definition video streaming. The system upgrade will provide smart venue enhancements and operational efficiencies to event organizers by enabling support for IoT-enhanced smart systems for crowd management, enhanced attendee connectivity, heat mapping, and operational analytics, optimizing space utilization, event flow, and cybersecurity.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Smart City Networks, whose commitment to innovation and adaptability perfectly matches the forward-thinking and global spirit of our amazing destination. This enhanced technology model empowers us to deliver state-of-the-art experiences tailored to every client, guest, exhibitor and customer—today and for years to come,” announces Freddie Peterson, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center. “Thanks to investments by Smart City Networks and the City of Miami Beach, we’ve proactively elevated our IT infrastructure to drive the future of redundancy and reliability. As a result, the MBCC stands as one of the world’s most technologically advanced venues, supporting our position as a global hub across nine dynamic business verticals. Together with our partners from the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, we are grateful for our ability to host global fintech and tech conventions such as Adobe Max, Cisco Partner Summit, and Sibos, and leading corporations and businesses who help drive local economic impact, and we look forward to setting new benchmarks in event excellence together.”
The new project with Smart City Networks also includes expanded network redundancy, upgraded backbone speeds, and dual-core architecture to provide robust protection against outages or disruptions. Enhanced cybersecurity measures will safeguard both client and administrative systems, while the upgraded network backbone will deliver consistent, high-performance connectivity even during the most data-intensive events.
“We’ve evolved beyond the idea that every convention center should operate the same way,” said Mark Haley, President of Smart City Networks. “This new model puts partnership first, blending our national expertise with Miami Beach’s local vision to create a technology solution that’s tailor-made for the MBCC Campus and the clients it serves.”
The Miami Beach Convention Center stands as a cornerstone of South Florida’s economic vitality, continually elevating the region’s reputation as a premier global hub for conferences, tradeshows, and conventions. Since its transformative $640 million renovation completed in 2020, MBCC now features 1.4 million square feet of versatile event space, including a stunning 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, 500,000 square feet dedicated to exhibitions, 84 breakout rooms, four junior ballrooms, and nine acres of lush green areas such as Pride Park and Collins Canal Park. New highlights like the 1920s-inspired Rum Room restaurant and the Venu private event space, along with ongoing investments—such as $19 million in capital projects in FY25 and a cutting-edge $1.5 million LED walls installation in the Grand Lobby—demonstrate MBCC’s unwavering commitment to innovation, technological advancement, and exceptional service. Looking ahead, the MBCC Campus will further expand with the highly anticipated Grand Hyatt Miami Beach, an 800-room hotel connected by skybridge and set to open in 2027.
The introduction of this customized model reflects Smart City’s broader focus on reimagining how technology partnerships are structured within major venues, creating strategies that enhance operational performance while supporting community engagement and sustainable growth.
About Miami Beach Convention Center
Re-imagined following a $640-million-dollar renovation, the award-winning MBCC includes a new 60,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom, four junior ballrooms, almost 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, an expanded Grand Lobby, pre-function areas that are bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms, approximately 800 roof deck parking spaces, almost 2,100 miles of cabling to support all IT communications, $10.2 million dollars’ worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program and a six-acre (Pride Park) and three-acre (Collins Canal Park) public green spaces that can serve as incremental event space. The MBCC Campus includes two new event spaces: Venu, a space for elegant private events and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s restaurant with an enticing tapas-style menu and local South Florida rums. The MBCC is proud to have earned Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, and LEED® Silver Certification as part of the venue’s $640-million expansion project, which includes many environmentally friendly features. A new connected headquarter hotel, a Grand Hyatt, is under development and slated to open in 2027. www.miamibeachconvention.com
About Smart City Networks
Smart City Networks is the nation’s leading provider of event technology services, specializing in high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, and telecommunications solutions for convention centers and event venues across the United States. With more than 40 years of experience and operations in over 60 venues nationwide, Smart City is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhance the event experience.
For more information about Smart City Networks visit smartcitynetworks.com.
