MIAMI
Gaming mogul Steve Wynn met with local officials here this week and declared the Miami Beach Convention Center site to be an ideal option for a massive new casino resort.
"I think that Miami Beach is the greatest site for a destination resort in the United States," Wynn said shortly after a lunch with the city's mayor, Matti Herrera Bower, and its manager, Jorge Gonzalez. Of the roughly 50 acres of Miami Beach-owned land that includes the convention center, parking garages and city hall, Wynn called it the "best" and added: "It has a huge footprint. It’s adjacent to a convention center that can be expanded and improved, and it's close to the ocean."
Miami Beach is seen as a potential foe to a state bill designed to bring two casino resorts to Miami-Dade County. The city passed a resolution opposing gambling when its largest hotel, the Fontainebleau, began pursuing a casino several years ago.
But current plans for the convention center and its surroundings call for renovating the center and adding a large hotel next door. When asked if Miami Beach's 16,000 hotel rooms were enough to support a thriving convention industry, Wynn replied: "It's a start."
