Project Description

1924 – 1925

George E. Merrick was the man behind the creation of Coral Gables. But he wanted more. He wanted to create a hotel in Miami’s latest hotspot – one that was a center for sports, fashion, and grand living. Merrick joined forces with hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman during the Florida land boom, and they set their sights on building South Florida’s preeminent hotel. The Biltmore is the centerpiece of George Merrick’s vision of Coral Gables as an elegant, stately suburb, which he called The City Beautiful. The 10-million-dollar project was announced on November 25, 1924, and in less than 14 months, The Biltmore was unveiled to the public amid great fanfare in January of 1926. One might say he was building a dream, a dream that came true when the masterpiece of the Biltmore at the city’s epicenter was completed in 1926.