Miami Beach Convention Center

The center was the site of the Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston boxing match in 1964.[2]

The fight took place on February 25, 1964, in the Miami Beach Convention Hall. Ali was known as Cassius Clay at the time.

It was also a regular stop for Championship Wrestling from Florida. Terry Funk defeated Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the Convention Center on December 10, 1975. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) held their Annual WrestleMania Axxess event at the complex from March 29 to April 1, 2012. The event featured many WWE talents and showcased many former WWE events and props used during their TV tapings.

The ABA's The Floridians called the Convention Center (and the Convention Center Annex) home when they played in Miami.

The Florida Flamingos of World Team Tennis played their home matches in the Convention Hall in 1974, their only year of existence.

Without an on-campus facility, the University of Miami men's basketball team played many of their games in Miami Beach at both the Convention Center and the Miami Beach Auditorium in the 1960s. Led by popular coach Bruce Hale and the high scoring future basketball Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry, the Hurricanes were able to draw capacity crowds.[3]

The center hosts the annual South Florida Auto Show, Art Basel, Florida Supercon, Forgiato Fest, and many other popular conventions.

In December 2015, the center embarked on a renovation and expansion project completed in June 2018.[4][5]

The Fillmore Miami Beach opened in 1957 alongside the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall. Known as the "Miami Beach Municipal Auditorium", the venue gained instant popularity. During the 50s and 60s, it became the home to many television variety shows, including: The Dick Clark Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jackie Gleason Show. From 1960 to 1971, the venue hosted the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. In 1964, the theatre was renamed as the Miami Beach Auditorium after the building became co-owned by the City of Miami Beach and CBS Studios. During this time, it also became the home of the third revival of The Jackie Gleason Show. The show ran from 1964, with the final episode airing February 1970.

Shortly after the show ended, the city engaged famed architect Morris Lapidus to redesign the venue. In 1974, the theatre reopened as the "Miami Beach Theater of the Performing Arts". Providing the auditorium with theatre-style seating, the venue became the hot spot for many Broadway shows including: Gypsy (with Angela Lansbury), Timbuktu! (with Eartha Kitt) and Carousel (with Robert Goulet). During the 80s and 90s, the venue continued to boom on the theatre scene and become the hot spot for concerts. The theatre attracted many well known performers like: Marc Anthony, Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli, Seal, and Lenny Kravitz.

In the late eighties, architects Borrelli, Frankel & Blitstein renovated the venue. The renovation gave the facade of the building an Art Deco design, similar to many of the other buildings in the area. Following the death of Jackie Gleason in June 1987, the city of Miami Beach commemorated his career and renamed his former home, the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts.[6]

In October 2006, Live Nation acquired operating rights to the venue. Shortly after, the venue began another $3.5 million renovation headed by ADD Inc. The theater reopened October 2007, under the "Fillmore" brand, as "The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater". Since acquisition, the Fillmore has become the busiest mid-sized venue in the South, hosting over 200 concerts per year. The venue has attracted big-name artists including: Madonna, Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Lana Del Rey, Ciara, The Weeknd, Fall Out Boy, Lily Allen and Sting. South Florida acts that have played there include Marilyn Manson (band) in '08, Fifth Harmony in '15, Dashboard Confessional from Boca in '17, Rick Ross in '17, and Camila Cabello in '19.

On May 5, 2010, NBC Miami reported that the theater would be demolished as a result of remodeling for the convention center, which would replace the theater with a new hotel.[7][8] The demolition did not take place and The Fillmore Miami Beach is still in operation as of 2020.[9]