MIAMI-Portman CMC, one of the bidders vying for the right to redevelop the Miami Beach Convention Center, has decided to save the storied Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater after all.

The development firm, which includes Portman Holdings and developer Ugo Colombo's CMC Group, had originally proposed knocking down the theater and building a new $100-million complex in its place. However, local opposition pushed Portman to have a change of heart, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

“The Miami Beach community has been very vocal in public meetings, in the media and online,” Jack Portman, vice chairman of Portman Holdings and John Portman & Associates, stated. “The residents made it clear that the Jackie Gleason Theater is an important landmark they want to keep. We listened, we heard, and we've found a way to adjust the master plan in order to keep the theater in place while still achieving our other objectives.” See story in the South Florida Business Journal.