‘Florida’s Riviera’
Commission selects new slogan for Sunny Isles Beach
By Bari Auerbach

Southeast France has St. Tropez…Northwest Italy has La Spezia…and now South Florida has Sunny Isles Beach – soon to be internationally known as “Florida’s Riviera.”

To help project and promote an upscale image for Sunny Isles Beach, the City Commission recently approved a prestigious new city slogan: “Florida’s Riviera” – replacing the former city catch phrase: Life With a View.

While Mayor Norman S. Edelcup and the majority of Commission members voted in favor of The Florida Riviera branding statement at the June 15 City Commission meeting, some residents referencing the city’s “proliferation” of high rises said they failed to see why Sunny Isles Beach should be compared to the “Riviera.”

Prior to the Commission’s vote, City Historian Richard C. Schulman noted, “As Historian, I took the liberty of doing some research…The definition of the word ‘Riviera’ in Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary is: A resort area along the Mediterranean coast extending from St. Tropez in Southeast France to La Spezia in Northwest Italy…Often, any similar coastal resort area; the Florida Riviera.”

Schulman added, “In my opinion as City Historian, the name Florida’s Riviera has a positive connotation [and expresses] a healthy mental image of our oceanside community of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.”

Addressing concerns that the slogan Florida’s Riviera might be perceived as “presumptuous,” Mayor Edelcup pointed out, “New York Times and Wall Street Journal articles have already [referred to Sunny Isles Beach] as Florida’s Riviera…We think the [slogan] is a plus for Sunny Isles Beach in that it denotes a luxury environment that has a beach and meets the definition [of a Riviera] per research done by our City Historian.”

In response to residents who said they didn’t feel Florida’s Riviera was an appropriate slogan because highrises along the east side of Collins Avenue block the sun in the afternoon, Commissioner Danny Iglesias said, “Since the very beginning [of the city], the Commission has been taking steps to ensure there’s enough setbacks so there are still view corridors and enough sun so the shade doesn’t cover the entire beach.”

Vice Mayor Roslyn Brezin emphasized she considered the issue of whether or not to change the city’s slogan with an open mind. “I take offense when someone says we do not have ‘a view’ because basically we have a beautiful view…Even when you’re on the beach and facing the magnificent buildings - to me - that’s a view…Everyone has a different perception of what a view is…We have a beautiful beach and to me it is like a Riviera.” (Both Brezin and Iglesias also stated they have visited the Mediterranean Riviera).

Commissioner Lewis J. Thaler added, “I think we are a ‘Riviera’ - and we’ll expand what we have…This is the beginning of what Sunny Isles Beach is really all about.”

When it was time to vote for or against the Florida’s Riviera slogan, only Commissioner Gerry Goodman dissented based on his opinion that the name “Sunny Isles Beach” should be emphasized more. “It’s taken us a long time to educate all the people, developers, newspapers and advertisers about [the name] Sunny Isles Beach,” Goodman said.

Prior to the Commission’s approval of the slogan Florida’s Riviera, an alternative idea was presented by Henry Kay, who serves as president of the Sunny Isles Beach Citizens’ Coalition. He suggested replacing the slogan A Life With a View with A Life With Sun and Fun.

Considering Sunny Isles Beach has so many attributes, there is actually a plethora of positive slogans that would be apropos. Here are just some of the ones that weren’t selected but they “could have been a contender!”

Sunny Isles Beach: City of Smiles

Sunny Isles Beach: Healthy and Wealthy

Sunny Isles Beach: It’s Safer Here!

Sunny Isles Beach: We Are Family!

Sunny Isles Beach: The New Park Avenue

Sunny Isles Beach: The Tans Are Better Here

Sunny Isles Beach: Your Permanent Vacation

Sunny Isles Beach: Come Play or Stay

Sunny Isles Beach: A New Wave of Life

Sunny Isles Beach: Where the Good Life is a Shore Thing

Sunny Isles Beach: The Best Combination of Luxury & Lifestyle

Sunny Isles Beach: We Are the World

Sunny Isles Beach: Celebrating Life

Sunny Isles Beach: Nine Years of Progress

Sunny Isles Beach: The Sun Shines Brighter Here

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