Now Jeffrey Soffer, who previously ran Turnberry Associates with his brother Jackie Soffer, is focusing on the luxury lifestyle across the hospitality, retail, residential and commercial sectors with his new company, Fontainebleau Development.

In more than 25 years in business, he has helped transform countless properties across the country, especially many in the Florida area, including a $1 billion expansion and renovation of Miami Beach’s famed Fontainebleau.

The Hospitality Industry met with Soffer to learn more about his new venture and how he thinks the hospitality industry has changed over the years.

What does the industry need to know about Fontainebleau’s development? Fontainebleau Development, one of the leading real estate development groups in the country, has a diversified portfolio. We design, build, own, sell and implement, providing expertise at every stage of the project lifecycle, with a relentless focus on delivering the highest quality in everything we do.

Fontainebleau’s development portfolio spans hospitality, residential, retail, commercial and luxury properties, including landmarks such as Fontainebleau Miami Beach, JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Nashville, Hilton Nashville Downtown, SoLeMia Miami and multiple residences. Attractions such as Turnberry Ocean Club, Turnberry Ocean Colony, Porto Vita, Tresor and Sorrento Tower at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Our portfolio of luxury services includes Fontainebleau Aviation, Turnberry Marina, Turnberry Island Country Club, and some of the largest and most prestigious places to eat, drink and relax in the world.

How has the travel industry changed over the years? I’m looking for the right opportunity to grow my luxury brand Fontainebleau, a brand whose success is based on creating unique and memorable guest experiences. With the rise of travel and travel, the increasing influence of social media, and the continued rise of luxury goods in the travel and hospitality market, there has never been a better time.

A prime example of this is the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa, which continually strives to serve our guests with superior facilities. Over the years we have provided a unique community club that is a great place for the community to gather for golf, dining and social events. As this membership continues to grow, we are also introducing our new world class water park, Tidal Cove; it represents the next iteration of anticipating visitor needs. The park boasts the world’s largest three-seater FlowRider for children, at 60 meters high. a slide tower with seven slides, a lazy river and 25 luxury cabanas, as well as two distinct restaurants.

Where do you plan to develop the brand next?

As part of the new company, Fontainebleau Development will be multi-divisional with extensive growth plans in hospitality, lodging and gaming, including the development of additional Fontainebleau resorts in Mambe locally and internationally. Through partnerships and long-term relationships, we will continue to seek domestic and international growth opportunities.

How do you define a brand?

We are guided and driven by our beliefs: quality, integrity and family. We don’t know the limits. At Fontainebleau Development, we turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. For more than 50 years, we have consistently imagined and accomplished what people can only dream of. From buildings to cities, from entertainment to world-class hospitality, we have an unwavering vision for more than just cultivating culture and creating community.

How to maintain work-life balance?

Find out what you like. It is important to have hobbies that distract from work. Some of my best memories come from being outside with my family. Relationships with family, friends and loved ones are a major source of inner satisfaction. If your job or career damages your personal relationship, both of you will end up suffering. Of course, there will be days when you have to work overtime. The question becomes problematic when these dates become the rule, not the exception. When you make personal relationships a priority, your productivity and efficiency at work will increase.

What are your business principles?

Create something out of the ordinary. We should not be limited by what has been done before us, but learn from the past and push ourselves to see what is possible. When I was in business and growing up with my father, it was important to remember the past while thinking about the present. More than anything, always give your guests what they want and need. We want our customers to have the best and feel like they are being taken care of.

What is your focus in this business?

All. Recently, I have witnessed the proliferation of lifestyle hotels. This reinforces guest demand for not only a great room, but also a great experience. This is something the Fontainebleau Development prides itself on – the restaurant, bar and facilities are just as important, if not more so than the bed. Customers demand more from their hotels and we are happy to deliver.

What advice would you give someone looking to move into a residence? Be prepared for everything and strive to be ahead of the competition. New hotels, new apartment buildings are always open; You need to make sure that you stay up to date and offer the best products to retain your customers. I’d also say take the plunge. There is no real reward without risk, and no great success comes without risk. HB

Turnberry Association

Turnberry was founded 50 years ago. When Donald Soffer purchased 785 acres of undeveloped floodplains, creeks, and marshes. View of the coastal waterway in North Dade County, Florida.

The swamp became the city of Aventura. The city now has a population of just over 36.0

The company has developed many branded residential condos in South Florida. These include the Porto Vita tower, Turnberry Ocean Colony, Tresor and Sorrento on Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau.

Aventura Mall is also owned by the Soffer family. This is one of the largest malls in Florida. The mall houses a collection of high-end boutiques and more than 300 well-known and well-established retailers in the world. They also own the Fontainebleau Hotel and the Turnberry Isle Miami Hotel.

Hotel

Jeffrey owns JW Marriott Turnberry Miami, Turnberry Isle Marina, Turnberry Ocean Club, and The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach (formerly known as Mardi Gras Casino).

Jeffrey Soffer Real Estate

The Soffer family is worth an estimated $2.2 billion.

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