ESJ Capital Partners Proposes 300-Room Hotel At Jungle Island Redevelopment On Watson Island

ESJ Capital Partners have proposed to bring a 300-room hotel designed by the Miami-based EoA Group to Watson Island as part of the redevelopment of Jungle Island. Voters approved the hotel development in August 2018 which will transform Jungle Island’s property including the parking garage and add an additional 12,000 square feet of meeting space while leaving the botanical gardens undisturbed. The hotel will rise 11-stories and will feature a 4-story parking garage with 787 parking spaces and 9,500 square feet of restaurant space. The lobby and porte-cochere will be located the 5th floor above the parking podium along with a restaurant, lobby, gym and pool deck with an outdoor bar and fire pits. The 10th floor will feature a restaurant and outdoor bar. Hotel rooms will range from 380 square feet to over 1,600 square feet. There is no time frame for a potential groundbreaking of the project.

Miami Voters Approve Hotel On City-Owned Watson Island As Part of Jungle Island Redevelopment

Miami voters have approved a new hotel to be built on city-owned land on Watson Island as part of a redevelopment of Jungle Island. 59% of voters said yes in support of waiving competitive bidding on the property to extend Jungle Island's lease to 2099 and approve the owners of Jungle Island to have the right to build a 13-story, 300 room hotel. The lease has an option for a 15-year extension. If built the hotel would be privately financed and would have a maximum height of 130'. The owners would provide the city with $750,000 towards the Affordable Housing Fund and $700,000 for maintenance to the adjacent Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden. Jungle Island now has 4 years to secure a master building permit and 6 years to complete construction of the hotel, the lease be void if either deadline is missed. The hotel will pay $250,000 in annual rent for the first 3 years of operation and $1.22 million or 5% of the hotel's total gross revenue thereafter. Jungle Island was purchased in 2017 for $60 million by ESJ Capital Partners.  

Jungle Island Sold For $60 million, $15 million in cash, To ESJ Capital Partners, Plans to Add Zip Lines & Water Park

Jungle Island has sold to ESJ Capital Partners for $60 million. In the deal, $15 million will be cash and the rest of the $45 million will include the assumption of the the current mortgage on the property. The deal transfers the existing lease on the city owned Watson Island to ESJ Capital Partners. The new owners plan to add over 7 zip lines and a water park for the summer to the 18-acre attraction on Watson Island, right off of the MacArthur Causeway. The renovations will come over three-phases over 2 years with the plan to increase the number of visitors and revenue. A 260-room hotel has also been proposed but requires a voter referendum from the City of Miami. Other upgrades to the facilities will include a private beach club, updated dining and food facilities as well as banquet facilities. Jungle Island will still be managed by John Dunlap and Iconic Attractions Group. 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capitalize on the heritage of Parrot Jungle, then Jungle Island, and create a truly unique experience within an urban setting,” said Gabriel Amiel, Chairman and co-Founder of ESJ Capital Partners.