Future of deteriorating Jackie Gleason Theater a tossup

The future of a dark and deteriorating Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater remains in doubt many months after the operator called on the city to tear it down and build anew.

The venue has a deep-rooted and pivotal history for the city, but its condition has brought forth the possibility of renovating or replacing it.

“We need the Jackie Gleason,” said Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez. “We love the programming and the concerts that come to the Gleason, so whether we open it renovated or we just open it the way that it is or we build a new theater, we do need solutions.

“And honestly, when I look at this theater … I would probably vote to build a new theater, because it is in terrible condition. There’s windows that have aluminum foil over them. I mean, it’s just in terrible shape. I don’t know what we’re going to do to fix it, but we definitely need solutions.”

As Miami Today reported in May 2023, Live Nation Entertainment presented a new Fillmore Miami Beach Theater concept to the city’s finance committee. The concept would raze the theater and introduce a new one closer to Washington Avenue. The finance committee voted for the city commission to examine the proposal and potential funding opportunities.

“I think that there’s definitely some sort of movement to build a new facility,” said Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez. “When you look at the entire complex, we have the new convention center, this massive hotel that’s being built, and I think there’s a desire to somehow weave in a new theater.

That said, there has been no official direction to do anything.”

According to Miami Beach’s official website, the theater was built in 1950 and has welcomed world-renowned musical guests such as Frank Sinatra and the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. In the 1970s, it was renovated by the architect Morris Lapidus.

Many people love the Jackie Gleason theater, said Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez.

“Anything that we’re going to do I’m sure will include a lot of community input,” she said. “From what I know right now, Live Nation is opening back up … but we do miss Live Nation. It’s causing a big problem for the businesses on Lincoln Road. When we don’t have the Jackie Gleason working, the businesses don’t have customers. It’s in our interest to keep it open. That said, I’m going to try to be open minded with any projects that they present to us because the theater really is falling apart.”

“If we aren’t going to build a new theater,” she said, “then we really have to consider a serious renovation of this one.”