Fontainebleau Owner Wants to Refresh Florida Casino

Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development, the company behind the Las Vegas Strip casino resort of the same name, wants to revamp its Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The gaming venue, formerly known as Mardi Gras Casino and Hollywood Greyhound Track, currently features 700 slot machines, electronic table games and poker tournaments, but the owner wants to transform it into a luxury Las Vegas-style destination. The 67-story Fontainebleau on the Strip, which opened in December 2023, certainly fits that bill.

Reports suggest that Soffer’s Fontainebleau Development is pitching a gaming venue that would occupy more than 163,000 square feet and be designed by Las Vegas-based architecture firm Steelman Partners. That company has designed casino hotels for some of the biggest names in the gaming industry, including Caesars Entertainment, Genting Group, MGM Resorts International, Sands China and Wynn Resorts, among others.

The proposed Big Easy Casino refresh also includes plans for 34,344 square feet in dining space and 11,205 square feet for bars as well as a live entertainment venue. The plans also call for 1,707 parking spaces, including an 818-space parking garage.

Why Big Easy Casino Refresh Makes Sense

Sprucing up the Big Easy Casino is practical for Fontainebleau Development and for a number of reasons at that, not the least of which is the fact that the venue’s last major renovation occurred 20 years ago.

Additionally, it’s a sensible alternative to an ongoing, likely ill-fated pursuit of transferring the venue’s gaming permit to the iconic Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. Soffer previously attempted that move, donating millions of dollars to Florida policymakers in an effort to advance related legislation, but it didn’t go anywhere.

Miami Beach residents were lukewarm on the idea of a casino at the Fontainebleau and Citadel founder Ken Griffin, one of the richest men in the U.S., even penned an op-ed, bashing the idea.

The bottom line is that it’s simply more practical and a better use of Fontainebleau Development’s time and resources to enhance the Big Easy than it is to pursue turning its Miami Beach property into a gaming venue.

Some Big Easy Holdings Already Monetized

Fontainebleau Development previously monetized some of the land previously tied to the Big Easy Casino. Last December, the company unloaded 12.3 acres of land at the site to a group of buyers for $31.16 million, or more than double the $12.5 million Soffer paid to buy the venue in 2018.

That land is zoned for mixed use and will be turned into apartments and retail spaces. Fontainebleau Development has other aviation, commercial, entertainment, maritime, and residential property holdings across Florida and in other states.