A once-luxurious Miami Beach hotel that housed the Beatles and President John F Kennedy during its heyday in the 1960s was imploded on Sunday after falling into disrepair and abandonment in recent years.
Kennedy, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and Sammy Davis Jr. have all either performed or made special appearances at the legendary hotel since it opened in 1957.
The Beatles even hosted one of their legendary performances for The Ed Sullivan Show at the hotel.
The 17-story Deauville Hotel at 6701 Collins Avenue collapsed after a series of explosions, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Demolition of the iconic hotel began in March after it was deemed unsafe in 2021.
The property fell into disrepair over the years and was closed in 2017 after an electrical fire. Miami Beach officials and the family that owned the hotel have stolen millions of dollars in fines for various code violations.
It is unclear what will become of the property in the best beach location.
Miami’s historic Deauville Hotel was demolished Sunday after it was deemed unsafe last year
Spectators watched from a safe distance on the beach as the building was demolished
Footage showed the building just before it collapsed within seconds
Located at 6701 Collins Avenue, the hotel was designed by Melvin Grossman in Miami Modern style and opened in 1957
The resort rose to fame in 1964 after The Beatles stayed and performed in the 538-story building
The Deauville closed in 2017 following an electrical room fire and damage from Hurricane Ida.
The owners, the Meruelo family, were subsequently sued by Miami Beach in 2019 for resort neglect.
Earlier this year, a demolition permit was granted by Miami’s planning and zoning board after the owners of the 538-room hotel filed a report last December claiming it was unsafe.
The city began demolishing the hotel’s main entrance and famous red metal sign in March, and spent weeks later preparing to demolish the entire resort.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, a billionaire New York developer, wanted to buy the property and build a 107-foot hotel and condominium tower, but that plan is hanging in the balance. The area has a height limit of 61 meters (200 feet) and a city election measure that would have allowed taller construction to fail on Tuesday.
City officials say Ross may still be interested in buying the property if an alternative plan can be worked out.
The Deauville Miami Beach Hotel’s pool deck was abandoned after closing in January. The hotel was closed in 2017 after an electrical room fire and damage from Hurricane Ida
An old postcard shows the pool deck of the Deauville resort. The hotel opened in 1957 and later hosted many celebrities
An old postcard shows the Deauville swimming pool when it was inaugurated in 1957
The city began tearing down the hotel’s front entrance and famous red metal sign in March
The Deauville Resort, which once won Hotel of the Year, opened in 1957. The modern Miami style resort featured a large swimming pool, ice rink, beauty salon, radio station and several restaurants catering to Miami’s elite.
Celebrities have been drawn to the legendary hotel, including Judy Garland, who sang at the Deauville in November 1961.
That same year, Kennedy spoke there at the 1961 Young Democrats Convention.
The Beatles performed at the Deauville in 1964, recorded six songs for The Ed Sullivan Show and attracted an estimated television audience of 70 million people.
Some of the hits the Beatles sang were: She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
It was her second appearance on the show, after her first at Sullivan’s studio in New York City.
The Fab Four stayed on the 12th floor of the Deauville and almost missed their performance when a mad crowd delayed their entry from the hotel lobby into the Napoleon Ballroom.
Other celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and Sammy Davis Jr. have also performed there.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed Democrats at The Magic City in Deauville
Archival images show the Beatles rehearsing in the hotel’s basement, relaxing on the hotel’s beach, and certainly walking through the lobby
The Beatles performed at Deauville on their first and only visit to The Magic City
British pop group The Beatles with a police escort at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach