<\/p>\n
A rendering of a proposal by the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel to build a water park and renovate the pool area.<\/p>\n
City of Miami Beach<\/p>\n
When the Fontainebleau faced local opposition and red tape earlier this year in its quest to build water slides on its pool deck, the hotel\u2019s billionaire owner, Jeffrey Soffer, successfully lobbied<\/a> for a change to state law.<\/p>\n Still, Miami Beach officials asserted<\/a> that the Fontainebleau would need approval from the city\u2019s Historic Preservation Board to advance the project, despite the new law limiting the power of local boards to force changes.<\/p>\n But according to an opinion from the Florida Attorney General\u2019s Office, the city\u2019s position is incorrect. Miami Beach can\u2019t require board approval for the project, the opinion says.<\/p>\n \u201c[T]he city may not impose additional requirements on [Fontainebleau] \u2014 even those identified in its various municipal ordinances \u2014 before issuing a building permit,\u201d Greg Slemp, general counsel for Attorney General James Uthmeier, wrote in the May 11 opinion, which has not been previously reported.<\/p>\n State Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, requested the opinion on April 30, according to a Thursday memo<\/a> from the city of Miami Beach.<\/p>\n Miami Beach planning staff had previously said that the Fontainebleau must get a \u201ccertificate of appropriateness\u201d from the Historic Preservation Board.<\/p>\n The new state law says local governments can\u2019t require board approval for a \u201cspecial exception\u201d or \u201cvariance\u201d related to the partial redevelopment of a \u201clarge destination resort.\u201d Instead, the legislation says, only administrative approval by city staff can be required.<\/p>\n While the legislation doesn\u2019t specifically address certificates of appropriateness \u2014 which are awarded based on compatibility with the surrounding area and other criteria \u2014 the Attorney General opinion notes that state preemption of local laws doesn\u2019t need to be \u201cexplicit\u201d if the intent is clear.<\/p>\n \u201cAny effort by the City or its administrative boards to impede or require additional review and approvals violates\u201d the new law, Slemp wrote.<\/p>\n Asked how the city plans to respond, Miami Beach spokesperson Melissa Berthier said officials are still reviewing the opinion. The Fontainebleau\u2019s building permit application remains pending after city staff provided initial comments in April.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t immediately clear why Robinson, whose district is in Manatee County, took an interest in the Fontainebleau project that sparked huge backlash in Miami Beach. He didn\u2019t respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n Representatives for the Fontainebleau wouldn\u2019t say whether the hotel asked Robinson to seek the opinion.<\/p>\n In a statement, Fontainebleau Development said: \u201cWe appreciate the state-level clarification regarding the applicable process under Florida law and look forward to continuing to work with the City and community stakeholders as this vision moves forward.\u201d<\/p>\n In March, Miami Beach elected officials discussed the possibility<\/a> of challenging the legislation, HB 399, in court. At the same time, they chose to have Mayor Steven Meiner facilitate conversations with the Fontainebleau and the Mid Beach Neighborhood Association about the project, hoping the hotel would agree to address some of the neighbors\u2019 concerns.<\/p>\n Soffer, the Fontainebleau\u2019s owner and a major supporter<\/a> of Gov. Ron DeSantis, attended an April 21 meeting of the various parties and acknowledged his role in seeking help from Tallahassee, but also expressed a willingness to listen to the community.<\/p>\n Discussions have continued in the weeks since. According to multiple people familiar, the Fontainebleau and the neighborhood association were nearing an agreement this week.<\/p>\n Residents are hoping the Fontainebleau will limit the height of its new slides. The hotel had originally proposed a structure reaching 131 feet, then revised its designs to top out at 99 feet, according to a February presentation.<\/p>\n Among other concerns was the possibility of car traffic from visitors in a neighborhood plagued by congestion.<\/p>\n In February, opponents of the project packed Miami Beach City Hall ahead of a planned Historic Preservation Board vote. The meeting was ultimately deferred at the Fontainebleau\u2019s request after one of the board members didn\u2019t show up.<\/p>\n The next month, as state legislators sought to preempt the city, Meiner and several city commissioners led a press conference<\/a> outside the historic hotel, urging lawmakers to change course. The bill passed three days later.<\/p>\n ![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_MIA_304MiamiBeach00N_4_1_V7OIB7OR_L812007174.JPG\" "\\"IMG_MIA_304MiamiBeach00N_4_1_V7OIB7OR_L812007174.JPG\\"")
The Fontainebleau Hotel is pictured in 2022. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n![\"Fontainebleau](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-1854493280.jpg\" "\\"GettyImages-1854493280.jpg\\"")
Fontainebleau Development Chairman & CEO Jeffrey Soffer speaks onstage during the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Star-Studded Grand Opening Celebration in December 2023, in Las Vegas. Vivien Killilea Getty Images for Fontainebleau Las Vegas <\/p>\n![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_9612.jpeg\" "\\"IMG_9612.jpeg\\"")
Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez (center) acknowledges Mayor Steven Meiner during a press conference to oppose state legislation alongside other city officials and residents in front of the Fontainebleau Hotel on March 10, 2026. Aaron Leibowitz aleibowitz@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n