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Council approves voluntary Ritz Carlton contribution for offseason beach re‑nourishment funded by $2 nightly resort fee
Summary
The council approved a voluntary agreement with The Ritz‑Carlton to set aside a $2 per‑night portion of the hotel's resort fee for offseason beach re‑nourishment, expected to generate roughly $250,000–$400,000 annually depending on occupancy; the hotel will hold funds in a segregated account and report monthly.
The Key Biscayne Village Council unanimously approved a voluntary contribution arrangement with The Ritz‑Carlton that will earmark a $2 per‑night portion of the hotel's resort fee to fund offseason beach re‑nourishment and related shoreline work.
Benjamin, the village CFO, told the council the contribution is voluntary (not a tax) and will be held by the hotel in a separate liability account with monthly reporting to the village rather than in a third‑party escrow agent, per the hotel's preference. Staff estimated the contribution could generate between $250,000 and $400,000 annually depending on occupancy levels.
Manager and hotel representatives emphasized the funds will be restricted to offseason beach rebuilding and would support the village’s broader coastal restoration work. "This is part of our broader revenue diversification strategy and would be restricted to beach nourishment in off‑season events," Benjamin said, describing the restricted‑use agreement and reporting requirements.
Council members asked how projects would be selected and confirmed that once funds are committed to a defined capital plan the hotel could not recapture them. "Once it is put in the capital plan and we've agreed to the project, they cannot pull the money back," a council member said; staff confirmed the agreement binds the contribution once it becomes part of an agreed capital project.
What happens next: Staff will coordinate with the hotel on final agreement language and bring implementation steps forward; the resolution passed and the village expects monthly reporting from the hotel on the restricted funds.
