A Little History Lesson...

The 20-year history of the Aventura Marketing Council is filled with accomplishment, with pride and with growth. Created in 1988 to carve out a niche for this upstart community, the founders of the Aventura Marketing Council did just that...and so much more.

Thirty years before there was a city of Aventura, and long before there was an Aventura Mall, there existed only scrub pine in the northeastern part of Dade County. Don Soffer and his father Harry had come from Pittsburgh and had a vision of what this swampland could be. They purchased 785 acres of submerged swamp and marshland, and began to create a planned community that provided amenities the likes of which no one had ever seen in South Florida.

First came the permits to dredge and fill the land, dredging 55 feet into Dumfoundling Bay and 55 feet into the Intracoastal Waterways, pumping in 9 million cubic yards of fill into the swamp. Then they imported 50,000 coconut trees from Jamaica and planted them. Where there had once been a swamp, there was now the beginning of a tropical oasis. They built a country club complete with golf course (now known as The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club), mid-rise condominiums and constructed the Aventura Mall.

Other developers soon followed, and by 1988, the community of Aventura began to take shape. Known for its lush tropical foliage, secure communities and first-class amenities, Aventura was now being marketed nationally and internationally. A few major business leaders realized they needed to create a business organization that would do destination marketing for this exciting new community, and in August of 1988, the Aventura Marketing Council was born.

It was the Aventura Marketing Council that brought Cirque du Soleil to Aventura, the world-famous circus from France; and the Barry Gibb Love and Hope Tennis Tournament to Turnberry Country Club, as it was known in those days. Thousands of people travelled to Aventura to enjoy these world-class events, and for most, it was "love at first sight" with our community.

To this lush, tropical oasis, the rich and the famous came flocking. Lavish parties, professional golf and tennis events, and opening night theatre parties all served to wake up the nation to Aventura.

But bringing major events that brought national attention to Aventura was only part of the Council's mission. Through our members, particularly George Berlin of Turnberry Associates, transportation projects became a priority, giving rise to the private-public partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation known as the Biscayne Boulevard Transportation Corporation. Working closely with the major residential organization, the Joint Council of Aventura, we organized a self-taxing district which would handle all infrastructure, signage, roadway repairs and beautification issues.

In 1991, the Aventura Marketing Council was ready for a new challenge: to become a "grass-roots" business organization, similar to a chamber of commerce. Starting with a core of 12 businesses, the Council grew slowly and steadily to over 450 different companies throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties that claim membership today.

Fast forward to November 7, 1995: the date that Aventura residents voted overwhelmingly to incorporate as a city to take control of their own destiny. Today, we have a 3.2 square mile city that runs from 213th Street on the north to 175th Street on the south, and from the Intracoastal Waterway on the east to the east side of the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks on the west.

Today's Aventura Marketing Council...

Recognized as one of the most successful and progressive organizations in South Florida, the Aventura Marketing Council has garnered accolades and awards for our outstanding business networking events, and community outreach to area schools and charities. Our Education Committee is the proud winner of four consecutive "Dade Partner of Excellence" annual awards.

Monthly Breakfast Meetings held at Aventura's own five-star, world-class resort, The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, draw over 250 members and evening networking events at different members' properties attract over 100 members. The Chairman's Roundtable, consisting of the higher levels of membership, attract the decision-makers from each company who enjoy monthly luncheons with top-calibre speakers and high-level networking. Committees such as Aventura Young Professionals to Small Business, Technology, Education, and Business Development afford members topical business information as well as leadership development opportunities and additional corporate exposure.

The Aventura News (weekly distrib. 20,000) has become the "voice" of the Aventura Marketing Council, as we purchase eight pages every week to promote our members and our activities.