Jet Set

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SPOTLIGHT

Pan Am airlines launched Miami’s commercial aviation industry nearly a century ago. Now, its former headquarters is being turned into a luxury terminal for travelers looking to avoid crowded terminals and security lines.

PS — which launched in 2017 as the Private Suite — plans to open its latest private terminal in the old Pan Am headquarters by 2025. For a price, travelers will be able to choose between a posh lounge called the Salon and private suites offering a balcony, a daybed, spa services and chef-prepared meals.

PS emphasizes privacy and efficiency, promising a “back door” to the airport. Customers never set foot inside the main terminal of Miami International Airport, passing through TSA security in the private suite before being chauffeured directly to the jetway to board their commercial flights.

Renovations will preserve some of the old-time feel, complying with Miami-Dade County’s historic preservation ordinance and federal standards for preserving, rehabilitating and restoring historic buildings.

PS already operates a private terminal at Los Angeles International Airport and plans to expand to Dallas and Atlanta next year.

All-access memberships cost $4,850, while Salon memberships are $1,250. Anyone can reserve PS services, with a suite costing $4,850 for up to four travelers and Salon access priced at $1,095.

Miami is one of 16 North American host cities for the 2026 World Cup. Organizers recently released the logo for the games, and local organizers issued their own image. Hard Rock Stadium is expected to host up to six games during the tournament, which is scheduled to start in June and end with the Cup Final July 19. Specific dates have not been released. It will be the first World Cup with 48 teams, up from 32.

HIGHER EDUCATION

• The University of Miami has been invited to join the Association of American Universities, which includes many of the country’s top research institutions. UM’s sponsored research reached $413 million in 2022, including $175 million in National Institutes of Health grants for research into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other illnesses. Along with the University of South Florida and the University of Florida, Florida now has three members out of AAU’s total of 71 in the U.S. and Canada.

HOUSING

• The small town of Medley, located west of Hialeah, is one of the most affordable suburbs near a major city, according to a recent analysis by Point2Homes that examined 777 communities within 30 miles of America’s most-populated cities. Homes there can cost 65% less than Miami’s median price of $445 per square foot. Nearby communities including Fontainebleau offer housing 40% or more less than Miami, but the city also has 10 suburbs where housing is more expensive than within the city limits.

NON-PROFITS

• The Children’s Trust awarded a $12.5-million grant to Miami-Dade’s Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department to help expand the department’s free after-school and summer camp programs, including 4-H programs serving underprivileged kids and those with disabilities. By next summer, the 4H program will have three new sites, for a total of 10, and it will double its therapeutic recreation and inclusion sites from three to six. The grant will increase summer camp openings from 685 kids this summer to 830 next year and after-school program slots will grow from 435 slots to 680.

VENTURE CAPITAL

• Miami-based Atomic Ventures announced its fourth fund, a $320-million investment pot that set a company record. The venture firm boasts more than $750 million in total assets in management, which it says makes it the tech industry’s largest venture studio fund. More than a dozen new companies grew out of the firm’s third fund, which raised $260 million in 2021.
• SoftBank’s Open Opportunity Fund is launching its second fund, with a $150 million target specifically for Black and Latino startups. Crunchbase data for 2022 shows just 1% of $216 billion in startup funding went to Black founders. Open Opportunity started in 2020 as the SB Opportunity Fund. It supported 75 Black- and Latino-led companies, including 10 in Miami, that spanned cybersecurity, fintech and other emerging industries.

Tags: Miami-Dade, Feature