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Politics
South Florida

Inside the real estate war chest backing candidates in Miami Beach mayor’s race

Candidates Michael Grieco, Michael Góngora and related PACs raised more than $100K from Witkoff, Grutman, Massa, Galbut and others

Real Estate Players Funding Gongora, Grieco in Miami Beach
Michael Góngora and Michael Grieco (Center) with Steve Patterson, Peter Kanavos, Chris Paciello, Mathieu Massa, David and Isabela Rangel Grutman, Paulo Bacchi, Dina Goldentayer and Steve Witkoff (Getty)
By
Research by
Oct 27, 2023, 9:45 AM

Developers, restaurateurs, hoteliers and real estate brokers are bankrolling the mayoral race in Miami Beach, campaign contribution data show. 

The Real Deal’s analysis of campaign contributions shows candidates Michael Góngora and Michael Grieco have raised the most money from top real estate industry players this year. Attorney Steven Meiner, who is currently a Miami Beach commissioner, and businessman Bill Roedy, the former CEO of MTV International, are also running for mayor, but have not raised significant funds from real estate players. The election is Nov. 7. 

Michael Góngora 

Góngora, an attorney who focuses on residential community association litigation with the law firm Becker, raised a total of $306,000, excluding contributions to affiliated political action committees and other groups. An electioneering communications organization supporting Góngora raised an additional $211,000 since last year, including $50,000 from Location Ventures, a firm in liquidation that was previously led by embattled developer Rishi Kapoor.

Members of the Kanavos family, which own Flag Luxury Group, contributed a combined $2,000. Peter Kanavos, a partner at Flag, and his daughter Sophie Kanavos, each signed $1,000 checks. Flag is co-developing a planned luxury condominium building at the Sagamore and Ritz-Carlton hotels in South Beach. Its partners include the Lowensteins’ Lionstone Development and the Ben-Josefs’ Ben-Josef Group. 

Shore Club Property Owner and Witkoff Group, the developers of the planned Shore Club luxury condo and hotel project, also cut checks for Góngora. New York and Miami Beach-based Witkoff, led by Steve Witkoff and other members of his family, are redeveloping the beachfront property at 1901 Collins Avenue into a Robert A.M. Stern-designed complex with 49 luxury condos, a single-family beach house and a hotel. 

Also, Miami Beach luxury homebuilder and restaurateur Mathieu Massa; developer Vanessa Grout of OKO Group; Artefacto owner Paulo Bacchi; top Douglas Elliman agent Dina Goldentayer; Fort Lauderdale real estate agent Maya Sherrill; and Miami Beach realtor Esther Percal each contributed $1,000. Three Massa-led companies donated another $3,000. David Wallack, CEO of Mango’s Tropical Cafe, and companies tied to Mango’s gave at least $6,000 this year.

David Grutman, a nightlife operator, restaurateur and hotelier, and his wife, designer Isabela Rangel Grutman, also each donated $1,000 to Góngora’s campaign. 

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Outside of his campaign, the organization that has been tied to Góngora, called A Better Future for Miami Beach, which raised $50,000 from Kapoor’s former firm, also secured contributions from entities managed or tied to Miami Beach developer Russell Galbut of Crescent Heights. Twenty companies that list Crescent Heights’ address contributed a total of $10,000. Grutman’s Groot Hospitality Holdings contributed $5,000. Vlad Doronin’s OKO Group, which is building the luxury Aman hotel and condos in the Faena District of Miami Beach, gave $15,000 to the ECO. Massa’s Massa Consulting Group also cut a $15,000 check. 

Michael Grieco

Grieco, a criminal defense attorney and former Miami Beach commissioner and state representative, raised $287,000 this year, excluding PAC money. Grieco previously ran for mayor in 2017, but dropped out of the race following reports that he allegedly accepted an illegal donation. 

His contributors this year include Steve Patterson, president and CEO of Related Development; Anatomy Fitness owner and real estate investor Chris Paciello (whose legal name is Christian Ludwigsen); developer Jay Massirman; investor Jarrett Posner; and broker Phil Gutman, who each contributed $1,000. Coldwell Banker agent Jeri Jenkins donated $500. 

The Grutmans also wrote checks totaling $2,000 to Grieco’s campaign. David Grutman’s hospitality ventures in the city include LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Story nightclub, the Goodtime Hotel and Papi Steak. 

Grieco also raised $2,000 from companies led by real estate investor Sam Herzberg. New York developer Sonny Bazbaz of Bazbaz Development and members of his family also made contributions to the campaign that totaled at least $10,000.

Ronnie Issenberg, a broker at Marcus & Millichap, gave $1,000 to Grieco and $500 to Góngora. 

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Campaign ContributionsCampaign FinanceElectionsMiami BeachMiami-Dade County