Iconic American Brand Flees Anti-Business California to Miami

Playboy is trading West Coast curves for South Florida flair. The iconic brand announced Wednesday it’s moving its headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami Beach — a city it calls “one of the nation’s most dynamic, culturally relevant and business-friendly.”

To mark the relocation, Playboy is launching a reimagined Playboy Club. The new space will include a restaurant and an exclusive members-only area inspired by the famed Playboy Mansion.

“Miami is one of the most vibrant and most fun cities in the country,” CEO Ben Kohn told Fox News Digital. “Given Florida and Miami’s pro-business stance, leaving California, which is anti-business and a very difficult place to do business as an employer, we’re excited to be relocating. The city of Miami Beach has been phenomenal and helpful in the move.”

The new headquarters will be housed in The RIVANI penthouse, a “Class X” ultra-luxury office property. Alongside the offices and club, Playboy plans to build multimedia content studios to fuel its growing creator network.

“Content is key to our strategy,” Kohn said. “We’re building a content team in Miami as we relaunch the magazine and Playmate franchise, all based here. We also have a massive global licensing business, and we’ll be building a significant licensing team in Miami as well.”

Developer Robert Rivani, who brought the brand to The RIVANI, called Miami Beach “a global hub for culture, creativity and business – exactly the kind of energy that complements Playboy’s next chapter.” He said the deal came together after a mutual friend’s introduction and months of planning.

Playboy hasn’t revealed the fate of its longtime L.A. mansion but said the Miami office will be fully operational by next year. The brand, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner, rose to cultural prominence in the 1960s and 70s, mixing provocative imagery with high-profile interviews and branching into clubs, casinos, and TV.

In recent years, Playboy has shifted toward lifestyle, fashion, licensing, and sexual wellness. The print magazine shut down in 2020, evolving into a digital-first platform. Rivani says the move mirrors a wider trend: “When people think of Miami Beach, they think of iconic brands, an unbeatable lifestyle and endless possibilities – and Playboy’s arrival amplifies all of that.”