One of Miami Beach’s most iconic resorts and a restaurant at Trump National Doral Miami are among South Florida businesses laying off more than 1,300 workers after hotels and restaurants were forced to close in Miami-Dade County.
Thousands of additional layoffs in South Florida’s hospitality and restaurant industries may be likely in coming weeks as hotels have been forced to close and restaurants can only be open for delivery or takeout, by executive order of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Among those that have laid off workers:
- BLT Prime Doral, a restaurant at Trump National Doral, at 4400 Northwest 87th Avenue in Doral, laid off 98 people on March 18, and is shutting down temporarily due to the impacts of the coronavirus. The company said that it is laying off its entire staff and it cannot predict when it will reopen or when it will rehire staff, according to a WARN Act notice it filed with the state of Florida. BLT Prime Doral is owned by ESquared Hospitality.
- Eden Roc Miami Beach at 4525 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach laid off 257 employees. Most of the employees worked in the banquet, housekeeping and spa parts of the hotel, according to a WARN Act notice. The 631-key hotel was originally designed by architect Morris Lapidus in the 1950s and hosted Hollywood celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, and Humphrey Bogart, according to Key International. In 2008, Miami-based Key International completed a $250 million expansion and restoration of the resort.
- Punch Bowl Miami Wynwood, at 2660 Northwest Third Avenue, laid off 194 people, according to a WARN Act notice. The hip restaurant and entertainment complex offers food, craft beverages, darts, bowling, private karaoke, ping pong and pool. The complex opened earlier this month.
- Two Miami International Airport concession vendors laid off a total of 758 employees, according to WARN Act notices. The Global Miami Joint Venture laid off 684 employees, and Airport Concessions Group laid off 74 employees.