The Marco Polo Resort

The Marco Polo Resort, 19201 Collins Avenue, was built in 1967.

Original owner Bennett Lifter remembers Architect Melvin Grossman designing the spacious ten-story hotel as tall as buildings were allowed at the time - the approximate width of Collins Avenue. A bit of a curve on the front façade and minarets columns conjure elements of the Far East. Note: Grossman later designed the original Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The Lifter family moved to South Florida in 1936 from Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Their first venture in the Sunny Isles area was operating the Waikiki Motel at 18801 Collins Ave. Bennett Lifter and his father Dan ran the Marco Polo for many years, and also had affiliations with hotel corporations, such as the Hyatt, Radisson, and Ramada.

In a brochure from the 1970’s the resort advertised 550 oversized rooms (each with a double bed and color TV), two fantastic pools and a tiki bar. The hotel building has two big rooms for entertainment, the Persian Room, International Room and the intimate Bird Room. Over the years many entertainers performed in these rooms.

The hotel originally had subterranean parking. But the Lifter’s moved the parking across the street, and renovated the downstairs area into boutique shops and a discothèque. They leased the two restaurants and the bar on the premises.

In 1994 the Mr. Lifter sold the hotel to the Crescent Heights Aventura Beach Club. While part of the hotel was converted into condominiums, the rest still operates as a hotel.

If you have stories and pictures to share about the history of the Sunny Isles Beach area, call City Hall at 305-947-0606.

COMPILED BY DAVID UDOFF AND MARLENE CALERO




Since opening in 1967 many entertainers performed at the Marco Polo revues including those pictured here: Barbara Gale, Harry Frank, and Phyllis Green.

These Florida entertainers remember the excitement, glamour and popularity of Sunny Isles Beach’s Marco Polo Hotel.

The very entertaining Barbara Gale started her career in show business in New York. She performed as a singer in Big Bands. Her comedy musical act has something for everybody. She can sing Yiddish songs and pays homage to Marlene Dietrich and Billie Holiday.

She has opened for the Beach Boys and Jerry Vale and was a regular in Sunny Isles Beach hotel lounges and clubs.

Harry Frank, originally from the Bronx and Long Island moved to South Florida in 1979, and lived on a houseboat near the Castaways at Sunny Isles Boulevard and Collins Avenue. He always thought “Motel Row” was absolutely beautiful – a place where tourists would stroll and shop.

Mr. Frank plays the Selmer clarinet and saxophone, and leads his own band, playing standards and musical styles such as the Cha Cha, Mambo, Rock, and Klezmer music. Harry remembers asking a woman who once hired his band, “Do you want some Rock n Roll? And she said alright get me a Beatle.”

Phyllis Green, originally from Boston is a terrific lady who excites her audiences with musical comedy, impressions, and mini-musicals. She is energetic, and dons dazzling costumes.

Ms. Green was a regular at the Bird Lounge at the Marco Polo in the 1980’s. She remembers the grueling schedule of making quick custom changes and performing two different shows in two different rooms in one night.

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