THE CLIENT
Gencom is a U.S.-based investment firm that owns, operates and develops prized real estate around the world, with an emphasis on luxury hotels, resorts and branded residential properties; and is also an active owner of and investor in hospitality operating platforms.
THE CHALLENGE
The Hyatt Regency and James L. Knight site in the heart of Downtown Miami is underutilized and largely inaccessible to pedestrians, and creates a traffic chokehold in one of the City’s busiest intersections.
The aging hotel and concert venue has failed to keep up with Miami’s growth, where new real estate projects are coming to market at a rapid pace.
Before the onset of the pandemic, Hyatt made two attempts to win public approval for the property’s lease extension and significant revitalization of the site, but was unsuccessful.
In 2021, Hyatt partnered with Gencom, a real estate firm based in Miami, to reimagine the site as a landmark mixed-use development with a brand-new Hyatt Regency Hotel with 190,000 SF of Class A meeting space, as well as 1,500 market-rate apartments.
In November 2022, City of Miami voters weighed in on the project via the ballot referendum to extend the lease and usher in $1.5 billion in new development.
THE SOLUTION
Created central message platform to feed our integrated campaign via clear cut and methodical messaging that was communicated across several mediums.
Leveraged strengths of development team – Gencom, Hyatt, Arquitectonica – to focus on local roots, international expertise and ability to execute at a world-class level.
Used strategic media relations to demonstrate need for new development in the area, Miami Riverbridge’s public benefits and how this project is in step with the new Miami.
Carefully coordinate public affairs campaign, eliciting community and stakeholder support by demonstrating clear public benefits while mitigating opposition.
THE RESULTS
- Supported campaign efforts to gain City Commission approval of ballot referendum language in July 2022.
- Garnered a 64% majority approval on the November 2022 referendum for Hyatt and Gencom’s proposal to redevelop the current Hyatt Regency and James L. Knight Center site.
- Earned support of key stakeholder group such as Brickell Homeowners Association, the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association, and the Downtown Development Authority and the Downtown Neighborhood Alliance.
- Secured widespread media coverage in influential and well-read publications such as Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald, Telemundo 51, Radio Caracol, The Real Deal South Florida, Miami Today, South Florida Business Journal, Commercial Observer, etc. spotlighting community benefits deriving from the campaign plan, as well as touting the strength of the development team.
