"The Biltmore Hotel and Country Club was the centerpiece of developer 's dream to create a beautiful city. Incorporated as a city after only four years of existence, had homes but no landmark. The 400-room Biltmore Hotel instantly became so, not only as the tallest building in south Florida but also as the center for activities drawing the rich and famous to Coral Gables. ... Teaming up with Biltmore hotelier , Merrick hired architects (1877-1951) and (1879-1939), who had just finished the , to create a striking structure . ... The Biltmore has suffered but survived economic downturns, and today, operated by a private consortium but owned by the City of Coral Gables, its future seems secure."