Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. plans to build a contemporary
new headquarters complex at PortMiami with a total projected cost of at least
$300 million.
Plans for the project were approved by a tourism and ports
committee of the Miami-Dade County government and will go to the county
commission in May.
A 10-story, 350,000-square-foot building will be designed to
suggest a cruise ship, with floor-to-ceiling windows and tiered balconies. The
new building will get a parking garage designed in a similar style.
Two of RCCL's three existing buildings would remain but be
gutted and remodeled. They total about 350,000 square feet. A third smaller
building would be demolished. The capacity of the campus to house RCCL's
workforce would expand from 2,200 to 4,200.
Plans call for the new building to be finished by October
2020 and for renovations to be done by the fall of 2021.
A contemplated lease agreement would yield the county $311
million in rent over 40 years. The county would contribute about $45 million
toward various RCCL costs such as insurance, maintenance, utilities and
repairs.
Renderings show a soccer field on the roof of the parking
garage and a basketball court nearby. Plans filed with the county call for construction
of a daycare center and a fitness facility.
RCCL's Crown and Anchor logo would be painted on the roof of
the new headquarters as brand advertising aimed at jetliners on approach to
Miami International Airport.