Soft Opening for $100-Mil., 329-Room Mandarin Oriental Hotel Set for November at Brickell Key.

Hong Kong interests have announced a soft opening in November for their new $100 million, 329-room hotel at Brickell Key. The formal debut is next March. Estimated construction cost of the asset is $303,951 per room.

The new Miami-area property will be operated under the Mandarin Oriental banner. The Mandarin Hotel Group holds a 25% interest; Swire Properties has a 75% stake.

The chain already has a presence in the area with its $142.5-million purchase earlier this year of the Rafael Group, which gave it management of the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club comprised of 395 hotel rooms and two 18-hole golf courses on 300 acres.

The Brickell Key hotel will offer 31 suites; 15,000 sf of meeting space, two waterfront restaurants, a lobby lounge, a swimming pool overlooking the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay; a spa; and sweeping views of the Miami skyline. Mandarin Oriental has also announced a New York City project for a 2003 opening.