The transformed Pier Sixty-Six Resort will swing open its doors in late 2024, ready to welcome guests to a remarkably unique luxury property in Ft. Lauderdale that will wow everyone from beach lovers to superyacht enthusiasts and architecture buffs.
Imbued with rich history, the reimagined resort, with one of the world’s largest superyacht marinas to call its own, enjoys prime real estate in Southern Florida, a sunny destination that’s increasingly becoming recognized as the “yachting capital of the world.” Getting here is fun, too: Guests can arrive via boat or ground transportation.
Another feature that sets this South Florida stay apart is Pier Sixty-Six Resort’s iconic, spire-topped 17-story tower that was originally built in the mid-1960s, an era that favored futuristic curvatures known as Googie architecture.
When the resort opens next year, meeting guests, locals and leisure travelers can mingle in the lovingly restored rotating tower bar that’s crowned with 66 spires and that makes a full rotation every 66 minutes. Sensing a theme? The repeating numbers are a nod to Pier Sixty-Six Resort’s past; it was originally a fuel dock and gas station for Phillips 66 Petroleum back in the 1950s.
The resort is set on 32 waterfront acres along Ft. Lauderdale’s 17th Street Causeway and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Here’s more reasons why Pier Sixty-Six should be on meeting planners' radars in late 2024 and beyond.
A Dozen Dining Options, Sunny Meeting Spaces and More
Pier Sixty-Six Resort is poised to be a premier destination for meetings, corporate events, incentive groups and weddings when it opens next year.
The amenity-rich waterfront resort will have beach access, a marina with 164 deep-water slips, multi-level pool experiences, a wellness spa, a promenade with shops and dining, and rentals for guests who want to get out on the water to kayak and paddleboard.
The resort is also planning a robust food and beverage program.
“Our emphasis on food and beverage will include 12 venues, ranging everywhere from a famous designer dive bar that’s being reinvented all the way to pursuing Michelin star restaurant status,” says Brett Boreing, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing.
The reimagined rooftop dive bar overlooking the water comes with views of the Fort Lauderdale skyline and will be a new iteration of the resort’s previous dive bar. While the storied space has been polished and elevated, many of the menu items will feel familiar—perhaps dishes like conch fritters, and burgers to pair with beers.
The Pier Top Lounge will be on the 17th floor observation deck, boasting rotating views of the skyline and Atlantic Ocean. Other plans include a Signature Restaurant with indoor and outdoor table service, and an open chef’s display kitchen as well as an adult pool bar and a marketplace for gourmet coffee, artisanal pastries, sandwiches and salads.
The resort will also be outfitted with 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and entertainment space, including three ballrooms that range from 5,250 square feet to 9,400 square feet.
Two of the ballrooms feature natural light, and one has a wall of glass doors that slide open to an adjacent event lawn that’s 5,000 square feet, which provides a space for breaks or allows for indoor-outdoor meetings. In addition to the three flexible ballrooms, there are seven dedicated meeting rooms that range from 625 square feet to 930 square feet.
“All of the meeting space is located on one level, so it’s very convenient for clients to navigate,” says Jim Bishop, Director of Sales at Pier Sixty-Six Resort.
Featuring stunning, mid-century modern architecture, the hotel’s unique angled balconies offer breathtaking views of Fort Lauderdale and nearly all 325 rooms and suites come with water views.
Fort Lauderdale is a Hot Destination for Meetings
Fort Lauderdale is coming off a record year for meetings and events, says Mike Pouéy, Vice President of Business Development at Sales Operations at Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The destination is dynamic, he says, and while the biggest draw are the beaches and the sunny weather, those coming for meetings love that groups can charter yachts, he says. Not only is it an efficient mode of transportation, but the captains narrate the journeys, making it a memorable experience.
Meeting planners, Pouéy says, will often charter water taxis for large groups. The mega yachts and nearby cruise ports for post-meeting vacations are also amenities that pique meeting-goers’ interest.
As far as unique on-the-water group experiences go, guests at Pier Sixty-Six Resort will be able to depart on scuba diving or deep-sea fishing excursions. For the latter, there’s even a weigh station near the resort’s Pelican Landing Restaurant where you can weigh your mahi mahi after a day on the water.
Getting to Fort Lauderdale is easy for attendees, too, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport connecting travelers to dozens of domestic and international locations on no-stop flights. Pier Sixty-Six is centrally located and is 5.5 miles from the Fort Lauderdale airport. It’s also 28 miles north of Miami and within four miles of the Brightline Fort Lauderdale Station.