Behind on mortgage payments, the Sagamore looks to Playboy to regain profitability

The Sagamore hotel in South Beach is looking to bring in a new Playboy club

Behind on its $32 million mortgage, South Beach’s the Sagamore is
hoping a new Playboy Club will return the chic, self-proclaimed “Art
Hotel” to profitability. The hotel, at 1671 Collins Avenue, lost its
Social restaurant two years ago, and that combined with the downward
spiral of the travel market since then has been financially disastrous.
The Sagamore’s marketing scheme in the past has centered on its
collection of contemporary art, which it would retain despite the
addition of the racy brand and its scantily-clad bunnies. The
Sagamore’s administrator has not endorsed the deal, in which waitresses
in bunny uniforms would serve drinks in the hotel’s cocktail lounge and
on the beach behind it. The deal, in conjunction with another involving
a high-profile chef, would bring “substantial profits” to the hotel,
according to owner Marty Taplin. Playboy is looking to open many more
casinos, clubs and restaurants as it transitions from a
now-unprofitable magazine to a lifestyle brand. [Miami Herald]