This is a video of the preparation and implosion of the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell Key on Claughton Island on April 12, 2026. The first photo in the video is of the island a decade ago in 2016, and the second photo is of the five-star hotel in May 2024.
The filming of the implosion was taken from the 35th Floor in the north tower of the Plaza on Brickell condominium building directly across from the former hotel building. Parts of the video are time-lapsed, but the implosion was filmed live.
The video was shot by me, Casey Piket, and special thanks goes to Miami History Substack subscriber Stephen Macchiaverna for providing his balcony for this event.
