Miami Beach Hotel That Hosted the Beatles Is Demolished To Make Way for a Luxury Hotel
The Miami Beach Hotel opened its doors on February 4, 1964 during the Miami Beach Music Festival and immediately became a popular hotel with a lively nightlife. Originally dubbed the Hotel Del Coronado by the name of its owner, Harry A. Niedenthal (who had purchased the hotel and adjoining property from the Del Webb Corporation), it was renamed the Miami Beach Hotel in 1972. The complex became a hot spot for celebrities and musicians such as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan who were hosted there by Harry Niedenthal and his girlfriend, singer Betty Davis.
The hotel’s manager, Charles “Chuck” Cohan, became well-known for trying out new hotel management ideas. However, his wife, Helen, was concerned with her husband’s drinking problem and his drug use and would frequently ask him to stay home. Eventually, Helen left Chuck and took their five children, including a daughter, to live with her parents and she was allowed to return to work at the hotel and the Cohan’s home became the home of the Beatles. Eventually, Helen Cohan began to show an increased interest in her relationship with Chuck Cohan and was allowed to return to work at the hotel. She continued working at the hotel until her death in 1977.
The hotel is now known as the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and although construction has been completed along the Atlantic Ocean side, there are two large hotels on the beach front to the north, just a short walk away from the beach.
However, it was reported by the Miami Herald that the hotel is for sale in an effort to recover some of its lost value from the public’s perception. The hotel closed in late October and is believed to be a loss of over $60 million. The hotel opened in February 1964, became a popular hotel with a lively nightlife, and later became known as “The House That Rock Built”. This was just three years after Miami was devastated from the effects of Hurricane Andrew and still recovering from the effects of Hurricanes Wilma and Isaac. As a result, the Beach was considered one of the healthiest cities in the country at the time. The hotel became very popular with the local Beach Boys and with many celebrities and musicians staying at the hotel for personal events including Frank Sinatra, The
