Playboy is packing its bags and leaving Los Angeles, trading palm-lined boulevards for Miami Beach’s neon glow. The iconic brand revealed Wednesday that it will shift its headquarters to Florida, calling the city “one of the nation’s most dynamic, culturally relevant and business-friendly cities.”
The relocation is more than just a change of address. Playboy also confirmed plans to open a reimagined Playboy Club in Miami Beach, complete with a restaurant and a private members-only space designed to channel the spirit of the legendary Playboy Mansion.
CEO Ben Kohn Takes a Swing at California
Playboy’s move comes with sharp words for California.
“Miami is one of the most vibrant cities, in our opinion, and most fun cities in the country,” Playboy CEO Ben Kohn said. “And 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 to Miami Beach. And the city of Miami Beach has been phenomenal and helpful in the move.”
The company’s new HQ will occupy the penthouse of The RIVANI, a high-end luxury office tower. Alongside its offices, Playboy will construct multimedia content studios in Miami to fuel its creator network.
Content and Licensing Take Center Stage
For Kohn, the expansion is about more than prestige real estate.
“Content is key to our strategy,” he explained. “We plan on building a content team in Miami with moving the magazine as we’ve relaunched the magazine and the Playmate franchise, basing all of that in Miami. And then we have a massive licensing business on a global basis, and we plan on building a significant licensing team in Miami as well.”
The RIVANI’s developer, Robert Rivani, said the partnership felt inevitable.
“Miami Beach is one of the most iconic and fastest-growing cities in the world. It’s a global hub for culture, creativity and business – exactly the kind of energy that complements Playboy’s next chapter,” Rivani said.
He added that the deal came together through personal connections.
“The connection came through a mutual friend and from the first meeting, I knew Playboy belonged in the penthouse of The RIVANI. This deal was months in the making. Our brokers were instrumental in curating the vision, negotiating the terms and finalizing the deal,” he explained.
A Brand Reinvented
While Playboy has not clarified the future of its storied Los Angeles mansion, the company said it expects to be fully settled in Miami Beach by next year.
The magazine’s legacy dates back to 1953 when founder Hugh Hefner released the debut issue featuring Marilyn Monroe, which sold over 50,000 copies. By the 1960s and 70s, Playboy was more than a men’s magazine; it published fiction, interviews with global leaders, and expanded into clubs, casinos, and TV.
The brand has since shifted its identity. The print magazine shuttered in 2020, and today Playboy exists primarily as a digital-first platform. It has leaned heavily into lifestyle, fashion, licensing, and sexual wellness.
Miami as the New Magnet for Power Players
According to Rivani, the company’s move reflects a broader trend of powerhouse brands migrating to South Florida.
“The move is part of a larger migration of influential companies leaving L.A. and New York for South Florida,” he said. “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.”
