Playboy, the iconic men’s lifestyle and entertainment brand, is making waves once again—this time not with a magazine cover, but with a cross-country move that’s stirring up both nostalgia and debate. On August 14, 2025, Playboy Enterprises announced it would relocate its global headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami Beach, marking a major shift for the storied company. The move, expected to be completed by 2026, will see Playboy set up shop in The Rivani, an ultra-luxury, Class X office building perched in the heart of Miami Beach.
The decision to leave Los Angeles—a city long associated with entertainment glitz—comes as part of a broader migration of major corporations seeking more business-friendly environments. According to the Los Angeles Times, Playboy CEO Ben Kohn didn’t mince words about the motivations behind the move. “California is anti-business and a very difficult place to do business as an employer,” Kohn said, describing the state as “an extremely expensive place” to operate. He contrasted this with Miami Beach, calling it “phenomenal to deal with, very pro-business.”
For Kohn, the appeal of Miami Beach goes beyond dollars and cents. In a statement reported by the Associated Press and Patch, he declared, “Miami Beach is among the most dynamic and culturally influential cities in the country, making it the ideal home for Playboy’s next chapter.” The city’s vibrancy, pro-business stance, and quality of life were all cited as factors that tipped the scales in favor of South Florida.
The new headquarters will be nothing short of lavish. The Rivani, developed by Robert Rivani with an investment of over $100 million, is a modern office space that blends wellness, design, and hospitality amenities. The building will house not only Playboy’s executive offices but also state-of-the-art multimedia content studios designed to support the brand’s “growing creator network.” These studios will produce original content across digital platforms, including podcasts, photography, and other media ventures, according to Patch and Fox News Digital.
But that’s not all. Playboy is reviving one of its most legendary concepts: the Playboy Club. The new Miami Beach club, developed in partnership with a leading hospitality company, will feature a world-class restaurant and a members-only section inspired by the famed Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. The club aims to blend exclusivity with a dash of nostalgia, offering a modern twist on the brand’s legacy of entertainment and nightlife.
Miami Beach officials have welcomed Playboy’s arrival with open arms. Joseph Magazine, a city commissioner, told Patch, “This move is expected to bring a significant number of well-paying jobs to our city, and it reinforces our commitment to fostering innovation, cultural vitality, and economic growth in partnership with one of the most iconic brands in history.” The city’s courtship of Playboy reportedly lasted months, with local leaders eager to secure the economic boost such a high-profile relocation could bring.
Playboy’s journey to this point has been anything but static. Founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner—a former copywriter for Esquire—the company’s first magazine featured Marilyn Monroe and sold more than 50,000 copies. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Playboy became more than just a men’s magazine. It published interviews with world leaders, commissioned literary fiction, and expanded into nightclubs, casinos, and television. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960, with the company’s headquarters then based in the Windy City. Miami itself is no stranger to the brand: the second-ever Playboy Club opened there in 1961, and the city later hosted the Playboy Plaza hotel in the 1970s.
Yet times—and business models—change. The rise of online adult entertainment and the decline of print advertising hit Playboy hard. In 2020, the company ceased publishing its monthly print magazine, pivoting to a digital-first strategy. Today, Playboy operates as a lifestyle, fashion, and brand licensing powerhouse, with sexual wellness and creator-driven content at its core. “Content is key to our strategy,” Kohn explained to Fox News Digital. “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 move also reflects a broader trend of companies leaving California for states with lower taxes and fewer regulatory hurdles. Tesla, Charles Schwab, and Chevron have all relocated their headquarters in recent years, fueling debate over the Golden State’s business climate. California taxes its highest earners at 13.3%, among the steepest in the nation. While some experts argue that the state’s unmatched talent pool and economic heft still make it a magnet for investment, the string of high-profile departures can’t be ignored.
Despite the challenges, Playboy’s brand remains resilient. The company reported a net loss of $7.7 million in the second quarter, but revenue jumped 13% to $28.1 million over the same period a year ago, with licensing revenue providing a notable boost. Playboy shares have climbed 17% this year, even as the company navigates its transition.
For Miami Beach, Playboy’s arrival is more than just another corporate relocation—it’s a cultural statement. As developer Robert Rivani put it to Fox News Digital, “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.” He added, “Playboy is bringing a new twist to the brand with a hospitality component that [we] can’t wait to experience.”
The move is also emblematic of Miami’s transformation into a global hub for culture, creativity, and business. The city’s energy, diversity, and openness to innovation have attracted a wave of tech firms, media companies, and lifestyle brands in recent years. As Kohn summed up, “Our vision is to create world-class content and experiences that resonate globally, and Miami Beach provides the perfect environment for that ambition.”
As Playboy prepares to turn the page on its Los Angeles era and embrace Miami’s sun-soaked vibe, one thing is clear: the brand’s next chapter will be written at the crossroads of tradition and reinvention, in a city that thrives on both.
