The Fillmore Miami Beach sits inside the Miami Beach Convention Center complex on Washington Avenue, a mid-century auditorium that has spent more than seven decades as one of South Florida’s premier entertainment stages. It opened in 1950 as the Miami Beach Municipal Auditorium and quickly became a go-to stop for touring performers and network television productions.
The room’s most famous chapter came in the 1960s, when it served as the production home for The Jackie Gleason Show after the comedian relocated his CBS variety program from New York in 1964, along with tapings for The Dick Clark Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. The hall was renamed the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts in 1987 in his honor. Live Nation acquired the venue’s operating rights in 2006 and, after a renovation, reopened it in October 2007 as The Fillmore Miami Beach, folding it into the storied Fillmore family of rock venues.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Miami Beach, Florida
- Type: Concert hall / theater
- Opened: 1950 (as Miami Beach Municipal Auditorium)
- Fillmore Rebrand: October 2007 (Live Nation acquired operating rights in 2006)
- Historic Auditorium Capacity: about 3,230
- Current Concert Capacity: about 2,700
- Famous for: Home base for The Jackie Gleason Show in the 1960s
A Miami Beach Landmark
Long before it hosted rock and pop shows, the building served as a television soundstage and civic auditorium, staging the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and welcoming Golden Era stars to its stage. Architecturally, it reflects the Art Deco character of the surrounding Miami Beach district, and the venue was renamed the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts in 1987 to honor the entertainer most associated with its television years.
Live Music Today
Since reopening as The Fillmore Miami Beach in October 2007, the venue has paired its historic shell with modern concert sound and lighting, hosting a rotating lineup of national touring acts across genres. Its mid-sized capacity makes it a step up from a club but far more intimate than an arena, giving Miami Beach a dedicated home for marquee concerts, comedy shows, and other live entertainment.
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The Fillmore Miami Beach FAQs
How many people does the Fillmore Miami Beach hold?
As a concert venue it holds roughly 2,700 people, though the historic auditorium’s full seated capacity is listed at about 3,230 depending on configuration.
Why is it called the Fillmore Miami Beach?
Live Nation acquired the venue’s operating rights in 2006 and reopened it in October 2007 as The Fillmore, extending the famous Fillmore concert-hall name to Miami Beach after renovating the historic hall.
What was the venue before it became the Fillmore?
It opened in 1950 as the Miami Beach Municipal Auditorium and was later renamed the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts in 1987, after hosting The Jackie Gleason Show TV production in the 1960s.
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Photo: Alexf / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.