Playboy To Exit 'Anti-Business' LA For More 'Pro-Business' City, CEO Says

LOS ANGELES, CA — Playboy, the once controversial staple of American pop culture, will relocate its global corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami Beach, the company announced Wednesday.

Along with the move, Playboy said it is developing a Playboy Club in Miami Beach in conjunction with "a leading hospitality company" that will be inspired by the storied Playboy mansion, the former home of late Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner, located in Holmby Hills.

Ben Kohn, chief executive of Playboy, described California as “anti-business" and an “extremely expensive place” to operate, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"Miami Beach is among the most dynamic and culturally influential cities in the country, making it the ideal home for Playboy's next chapter," Kohn said in a statement.

"Our vision is to create world-class content and experiences that resonate globally, and Miami Beach provides the perfect environment for that ambition. The city of Miami Beach has been an outstanding partner throughout this process — its vibrancy, pro-business approach, and quality of life make it an extraordinary home for our employees and for our future."

Founded the early 1950s as a monthly, Playboy magazine was known for its rabbit logo and centerfolds, but it also published short stories by well-known authors and extended interviews with newsworthy subjects.

In March 2020, Kohn announced that the year's spring issue would be the last regularly scheduled printed issue and that the magazine would publish online only. In August 2024, it was announced that the magazine would relaunch in print in February 2025 and would be published annually.

The Miami headquarters will include the establishment of studios for the production of multimedia content across digital platforms, including podcasts and photography, Kohn said.

Joseph Magazine, a Miami Beach commissioner, the equivalent of a city councilman, said the 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."

City News Service