The Fontainebleau, opened in 1954, has hosted the Eclipse Awards on numerous occasions, most recently in 1990. The dinner was last held in the Miami area in 1999 at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort.
Because of construction problems that have delayed the opening of the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood Fla., the 31st annual Eclipse Awards Dinner is being moved to the grand ballroom at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort in Miami Beach. Date of the event remains Feb. 18.The change was confirmed on Monday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which co-sponsors the awards with Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association.The Diplomat, an $800-million hotel housed in two 39-story towers, will be Broward County's largest resort and tallest buildings. According to published reports, it was originally scheduled to open in early 2001 but has suffered numerous delays. The latest problem surfaced when a sprinkler system designed to put out fires flooded two lower floors when it was tested in early December. The Diplomat is just east of Gulfstream Park.
