Out and About in MIAMI. Summer 2010 news

OUT AND ABOUT IN MIAMI
Thank you for your continued support of Miami! The monthly Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Media Relation’s e-newsletter is filled with story leads you can develop, including exciting news and events. Enjoy!

MIAMI SPICE STILL RUNNING STRONG: Currently in its 9th year, the annual Miami Spice Restaurant Program with an array of new culinary additions. Miami Spice Restaurant Program will take place August 1 – September 30, 2010. During that time, Greater Miami’s finest restaurants will offer three course prix fixe lunches, at $22 per person, and dinners at $35 (excluding taxes and gratuities). Each menu will include an appetizer, entrée and dessert offering an average discount of 30-50 percent off the regular value. For the first time ever, The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) proudly announces a spectacular Miami Spice Kickoff Event & Fundraiser, to be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Hall D on Saturday, July 31, 2010. The event, which will launch the much-anticipated Miami Spice Program will showcase a sampling of delicious culinary specialties from Miami Spice participating restaurants. A VIP reception, hosted by Miami Spice presenting sponsor American Express, and official sponsors Moët Hennessy USA and Stella Artois, will include an open bar and complimentary valet service. Advance tickets, available now for purchase via Ticketmaster. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength and Madison’s Wish. For more information on the launch event and restaurant program visit, www.ILoveMiamiSpice.com.

‘MIAMI 443′ CAMPAIGN PROMOTES SUMMER TRAVEL: Now through Labor Day, ‘Miami 443′ campaign is offering a wide range of deals at dozens of hotels, restaurants and other area attractions that allow visitors to buy three and get one FREE. Spearheaded by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), the four-for-three promotion allows value-hunting families and friends to transform a brief three-day getaway to a relaxing four-day vacation. The Miami 443 campaign offers extraordinary value across a diverse spectrum of lodging and dining options, attractions and tours. Taken together, these deals make it possible for visitors to enjoy a world-class vacation in Miami this summer at a fraction of the regular price. For a sampling of the four-for-three deals now being offered visit, www.Miami443.com.

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MIAMI CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY: Mandarin Oriental, Miami is celebrating its 10th anniversary and the luxury city resort has completed an extensive renovation to mark this special occasion in grand style. The new enhancements include the redesign of its 295 spacious guestrooms, rejuvenated Oasis Beach Club with chic beach furnishings and a newly renovated Presidential Suite. To celebrate 10 years in Miami, guests can reserve the “Miami’s Top 10” anniversary room package and enjoy keepsake amenities plus a “top 10” luxury extra. A few of the refurbishments in the guestrooms include an elegantly chic décor and a harmonious balance between colors, texture and materials. The new rooms feature the latest in technology including state-of-the-art audio visual equipment that has been finely and stylishly integrated into the furniture wall. Oasis Beach Club offers a variety of choices for guests while lounging and enjoying sun, sand and sea. The new furnishings on the Oasis Beach Club’s private beach cabanas resemble the design palette in the hotel’s lobby with vibrant red and orange colors and include chaise lounges, cocoon daybeds and hammocks. The luxurious cabanas alongside the beach are elegant and exceedingly spacious providing total privacy with flat-screen TVs and top notch service. For more information, visit www.mohg.com.

FAMILY VACATIONS ABOUND IN SUNNY ISLES BEACH: Recently ranked #1 of the top ten U.S. destinations by Trip Advisor’s Travelcast ^TM, Sunny Isles Beach offers families an array of luxury and economy hotels and resorts. Whether looking for beachfront accommodations with a kitchenette, or a luxury property, Sunny Isles Beach offers a grand place for a family vacation. Accommodations in Sunny Isles Beach include Acqualina Resort & Spa, Days Thunderbird Beach Resort Hotel, Doubletree Ocean Point, Resort & Spa, Fairmont Turnberry Isle, Golden Strand Ocean Villa Resort, Marco Polo Beach Resort-Ramada Plaza, Marenas Resort, Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort, Travelodge Monaco Beach Resort and Trump International Beach Resort. Gleaming skyscrapers with cutting-edge architecture offer endless ocean views and world-class amenities such as European spas and fine dining. A truly culturally diverse selection of restaurants to fit any budget, lines the Collins Avenue thoroughfare. Dining choices range from vintage delicatessens to family friendly restaurants, to gourmet eateries offering spectacular world cuisine from top local chefs. For more information on Sunny Isles, visit www.SunnyIslesBeachMiami.com.

THE SUMMER GROVE TO KICK OFF JULY 14TH: Alonzo Mourning, founder of Alonzo Mourning Charities, and Dwyane Wade, founder of Wade’s World Foundation, have joined forces once again to celebrate 14 years of summer fun in South Florida with Seminole Hard Rock Presents The Summer Groove hosted by Zo and D. Wade July 14-18,2010. The five-day event benefits both Alonzo Mourning Charities and Wade’s World Foundation. Both organizations support community-based programs that help youth across South Florida further their educational development. The events have something for everyone: golf, comedy, concert, benefit dinner, youth summit, youth sports conference and basketball clinic, a free block party, an all-star basketball game and numerous exclusive functions. Proceeds benefit Alonzo Mourning Charities and the Wade’s World Foundation. For more information, visit www.TheSummerGroove.com.