A rendering of Ken Griffin’s proposed marina on Terminal Island.
BMA Architects
Billionaire Ken Griffin’s plan to add a private helipad to his megayacht marina in Miami Beach is facing growing opposition from residents of some of the city’s most expensive condominium towers.
The dispute sets up a clash between one of South Florida’s wealthiest newcomers and neighbors who say they don’t want helicopter noise outside their luxury condos. The dispute will be played out at 1 p.m. Thursday at a meeting of the city’s Land Use and Sustainability Committee.
Griffin’s proposal calls to a change to Miami Beach’s zoning rules that would allow a private helipad as an accessory use in the industrial district known as Terminal Island, where Griffin’s megayacht marina will go.
But the founder of Citadel, who move the investment fund company to Miami in 2022, is facing organized neighborhood opposition about the noise and disruption caused by helicopter flights.
Leaders of eight luxury condominium buildings near the proposed helipad have asked Miami Beach leaders to reject the plan, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
The buildings, near the proposed private marina, represent about 2,000 apartments, with homes ranging from less than $1 million to a $78 million triplex penthouse currently on the market.
Griffin does have support from residents of three nearby wealthy enclaves — Palm Island, Hibiscus Island and Star Island, Bloomberg reported.
The opposition emerged after Griffin’s request became public in July. The helipad plan was first reported by the Miami Herald. The helipad was introduced after the original plan for the marina was approved.
The proposed helipad would sit alongside Griffin’s already approved private marina at 120 MacArthur Causeway, a 3.5-acre waterfront property next to the U.S. Coast Guard Station.
Griffin’s marina is being designed to accommodate megayachts and includes an owner’s pavilion, private suite, crew facilities, marina operations space, maintenance facilities, security offices and a rooftop swimming pool.
The marina is expected to become a home for Griffin’s 308-foot yacht Defy, which he bought for about $175 million in 2024.
A spokesman for the marina project said experts determined the sound impact would be negligible and less disruptive than the frequent cruise-ship horns heard in the area.
Griffin, whose fortune is estimated at $60.5 billion by Forbes, has built a growing South Florida real estate portfolio. Griffith’s planned Citadel headquarters on Brickell is a roughly $2.5 billion project that includes a 54-story office tower and other residential and commercial components.
Luisa Yanez covers real estate and the impact of wealth migration in South Florida for the Miami Herald. In her work, she will be using both traditional reporting and AI tools.