venues

Plugin Karaoke, which opened in June, aims to turn karaoke into a high-end experience with 18 private, sound-proof rooms, a full bar, and food and beverage service. The 11,000-square-foot venue includes state-of-the-art lighting and audiovisual technology—recording artists such as Charlie Puth have used the space—plus a playlist of 35,000 songs, and murals throughout the venue. The 16 regular rooms each have their own design and accommodate different sizes of groups ranging from four to 30 people. There is one large private event room that holds as many as 150 people, while a second, smaller event room holds as many as 45; both rooms have their own bars. 

Built in 1948 as the Ebenezer Methodist Church, the Overtown Performing Arts Center launched as a meeting and event facility in July. Featuring seats for as many as 250 theater-style, and able to hold as many as 110 in a banquet or classroom configuration, the 2,000-square-foot venue features a commercial kitchen and meeting space. The center includes a main hall and several small offices that can serve as V.I.P. suites.

Naples Grande Beach Resort capped off a $2 million renovation of its public spaces in April. The 474-room property, which features 83,000 square feet of meeting space, updated the 5,802-square-foot Vista Ballroom with new decor, modern fixtures and furniture, new draperies, and plush carpeting. The lobby lounge and Spressi seating area features new seating, lighting, and an upgraded bar. As part of the refresh, the hotel created new meeting packages called summer camp meetings, birdie breaks, family meetings, and orange sunset session. The hotel’s Royal Palm Ballroom holds 1,500 reception-style, while as many as 700 reception-style fit in the Orchid Ballroom. 

Offering whole foods in Miami Beach’s trendy Sunset Harbour, the 171-seat Soul Tavern was launched in July by Jason Gordon, a doctor of Chinese medicine. Focused on the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, the gastropub serves Chinese herbal elixirs and dishes such as pizzas topped with ingredients like exotic mushrooms, ginseng, beets, and lotus root, as well as hemp nut-encrusted edamame cakes, lotus and burdok root chip, ramen, and more. The restaurant also features outdoor seating including a lush garden with giant prayer wheels at the entrance. Full or partial buyouts are available.

Following a $10 million renovation in March, the Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center boasts an updated outdoor dining space and a refreshed pool area. The 405-room hotel created a South American vibe with Miami flair by adding new furnishings, colorful artwork, and an updated entryway. The hotel has 17,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting space, including the Pan Am Ballroom that seats 450 theater-style or 320 for banquets.

Groups now can meet above the luxury and exotic car showroom of Lou La Vie, which opened in February. Known as the Clubhouse, the second floor holds as many as 200 standing. Some events can be held on the lower level, which also holds 200, but when the Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, and the like are on display, extra security is required. Housed in a roughly 40-year-old space meant to serve as a vehicle warehouse, the property has an industrial design with modern touches. Later this year, the 3,000-square-foot rooftop will become available for events. It sits adjacent to a pair of soccer fields that also will be marketed as function space.

Liv at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, a nightclub available for private events, will finish a $10 million renovation in September. The 22,000-square-foot space is being refreshed with more than 400 digitally controlled LED panels for choreographed light shows that correspond with music throughout the space, as well as new banquettes, flooring, bars, and wall coverings, and a projection-mapped stage area that creates customizable backdrops. Experiential design firm Icrave is overseeing the transformation.

Restaurateur and designer Anselmo Di Virgilio Hernandez introduced Crate Plant-Based Kitchen, Bar and Lounge, a vegetarian and vegan culinary and nightlife experience, in July. The 152-seat eatery serves cleverly named seasonal plates and cocktails, as well as cold-pressed juices. After the kitchen closes, an after-hours lounge atmosphere created by Hernandez, a co-founder of Baru and Tu Candela, takes hold. Vintage chairs, velvet couches, spot lamps, and more provide a retro-style living room. The space holds as many as 180 guests. 

Hilton will roll out the state’s second Conrad hotel this September when the 290-suite Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach debuts. Located on North Beach, the property was designed by late architect Michael Graves and features nautical decor. It provides 20,000 square feet of oceanfront, elevated function space, along with 10,000 square feet of indoor space for events. The Conrad Fort Lauderdale is also set to include four food and beverage outlets: Terra Mare, a tapas restaurant; Cornucopia, a gourmet marketplace serving artisanal cuisine including flatbreads and pastries; a lobby bar; and a pool bar.

At CityPlace Doral, a mixed-use entertainment complex, Kings Bowl Doral opened in May. The 20,000-square-foot bowling, dining, cocktail, and entertainment venue with 1960s-style decor features 14 10-pin bowling lanes, four private bowling lanes, a lounge, private dining and karaoke space, a game room, and more. A full buyout for as many as 500 guests can be arranged, while individual rooms that hold anywhere from 20 to 120 can be rented. A 40-seat, climate-controlled patio is also available. Dining options include American favorites, comfort foods, and dishes with an eye toward health.