Marlin Beach Hotel in Fort Lauderdale was America’s first openly gay resort hotel, debuting under that identity in 1972 following decades as a conventional beachfront property (originally built in 1952) . With its iconic “Poop Deck” poolside tea dances, disco lounge, and celebrity guests—including Sylvester and Sylvester in the elevator—Marlin became a tropical mecca for gay vacationers through the ’70s and early ’80s .
Despite opposition from local officials who saw it as a threat to family tourism, the hotel thrived—grossing over $2 million a year by the mid‑1970s . It weathered the initial waves of the AIDS crisis but lost its footing after rebranding as a spring-break resort in 1986; by 1992, Marlin went bankrupt and closed amid a farewell blowout attended by over 5,000 people. Soon after, the building was demolished to make way for Beach Place, marking the end of a regal era in queer leisure.
