Palace, the famous old gay bar on Ocean Drive has announced a closing date at its original home before its planned relocation to an as-yet-unknown new space. That date is July 4th, when it will host a blowout ‘last dance’ with “special lights, sound, and production.”

Palace sent out the announcement to its fans today via text message, with a link to an article on Patch Miami Beach.

Apparently the move, according to the article, was a choice made by the owner. Although it’s easy to assume they were forced out due to rising rents, because that’s a stereotypical story as old as time, the statement released by Palace says otherwise:

Last year, developer Steve Kassin’s Infinity Real Estate bought the building that houses Palace as well as 23 residential units, for over $15 million. At the time of the sale, an executive for Infinity said the company planned to “enhance the property, including improving the building’s prominence and accessibility.” Through its statement on Facebook, Palace management made clear that instead of closing temporarily during the building’s renovations, Palace would change locations permanently.

Although Palace’s location is almost as iconic as the bar itself, where parties typically overflow out of the relatively small interior space onto the sidewalk and sometimes even into the street, in spitting distance of the gay beach a few hundred feet east, Palace’s owners want to find a bigger location with more potential.

“The truth of the matter is that this situation presents us with a fantastic opportunity to grow,” he continues. “We’re going to find a new place that has the same character but offers a bigger performance space that better suits the needs of our changing community”.

Photo by Phillip Pessar.

• Palace, Legendary Gay Bar, is Moving After 30 Years [The Big Bubble]