Community and Opportunity

Community and Opportunity

West Palm Beach is a City of involvement, opportunity and growth with a sense of community. The character of the City is shaped by the people, the neighborhoods and the businesses. Mayor Keith A. James believes in highlighting the best of the best, welcoming community improvements, visitors and honoring the past.

Tributes, proclamations, groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings, and welcoming new businesses and organizations as they set down roots is a small part of making West Palm Beach a community of opportunity for all. It is with great pride that the City gets involved, stays involved and welcomes all.

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Eataly at CityPlace 

An Italian culinary experience

Stephen Ross, founder and CEO of Related Ross, and Mayor Keith A. James, were among the dignitaries to cut the ribbon to open Eataly in the Harriet Himmer Hall in CityPlace.

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West Palm Wonderland

Mayor Keith A. James with Community Events Manager Angela Poco, left, and Parks & Recreation Director Leah Rockwell, right, at the lighting of Sandi Tree, the world's only 700+ton sand holiday tree, on Thursday, December 4, 2025.

 

West Palm Wonderland is a collection of holiday focused events in and around downtown West Palm Beach designed to entertain and thrill visitors. Among the holiday events are:

• Holiday in Paradise featuring Sandi Tree and Ferris along the West Palm Beach Waterfront

• Winter in Paradise, a holiday light spectacular centered in Heart & Soul Park in the Historic Northwest

• Ice staking at The Ben Hotel

• Nights in Northwood

• Shopping and dining in downtown West Palm Beach

• The Wishing tree and shopping in CityPlace

 

Holiday in Paradise

Winter in Paradise

Nights in Northwood

 

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Sunset Lounge Opens with Soul in the City Concert Series

Mayor and Mrs. Keith A. James with saxophonist Boney James, center.

After years of being closed, the newly renovated Sunset Lounge came back to life Wednesday night, November 19, 2025, to the soulful sounds of saxophonist Boney James. The Grammy-nominated jazz player headlined the re-opening of the 99-year-old Sunset Lounge in the City’s Historic Northwest neighborhood. The Sunset Lounge has always been a cultural anchor, a gathering space, and a stage that helped shape the artistic identity of West Palm Beach. Legends like Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong performed here, leaving behind a legacy that forever influenced the musical fabric of our city. The City's Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) stepped in to purchase the property and restore this most iconic of music venues in South Florida. Mayor Keith A. James addressed a vibrant audience of more than 400 attendees, right before Boney James took the stage for the first Soul in the City concert at the Sunset Lounge.

It took years or work and negotiations to reopen the Sunset Lounge. Mayor Keith A. James and City Administrator Faye Johnson honored the dedicated work of the City staff for the hard work to bring the building back to life.

Members of the Community Redevelopment Agency honored for their work on the Sunset Lounge include, from left, Chris Roog, CRA Executive Director, Jade A. Greene, Ansley Lacey, Genie Baker, with Mayor Keith A. James, City Administrator Faye Johnson.

Members of the City of West Palm Beach Community Events team honored for producing the Soul in the City concert series to open the Sunset Lounge included, from left, Michelle DeLaney, Bernadette Molano, Gabriella Duprey, Kaitlynn Kenney, Chris Burdick, with Mayor Keith A. James, City Administrator Faye Johnson, and Angela Poco, Community Events Manager.

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The Ben Winter Wonderland

Mayor Keith A. James cut the ribbon to open The Ben’s second season of Winter Wonderland, a unique outdoor ice-skating rink along Flagler Drive. The event on Saturday, November 1, 2025, included a demonstration of the Olympic sport of curling by the southern-most curling club in the United States, the West Palm Beach-based Loggerhead Curling Club. The club presented Mayor James with a club shirt as part of the opening ceremonies.

For more information on The Ben’s Winter Wonderland and other holiday events, visit our West Palm Wonderland page.

 

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A Tribute to the Leadership at the
Norton Museum of Art

Bruce Gendelman, chairman of the board at the Norton Museum of Art, accepts a tribute from Mayor Keith A. James

Mayor Keith A. James presented a tribute to renown artist Bruce Gendelman, chairman of the board at the Norton Museum of Art, for his extraordinary contributions and legacy of service, leadership, and dedication to the arts, the cultural community, and the people of West Palm Beach.

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West Palm Beach Hosts World Croquet Championships

Delegates from 14 countries were in West Palm Beach recently for the 2025 World Croquet Championships hosted by the National Croquet Center, 700 Florida Mango Road. Mayor Keith A. James welcomed the international and local players at the opening ceremonies on Friday, October 17, 2025, with play beginning on the morning of Saturday, October 18, 2025. Below are the team photos from the Opening Ceremony Parade of Nations.

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ServiceNow Announces Plans in West Palm Beach 

Stephen Ross, Chairman, CEO, Related Ross, Mayor Keith A. James, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Bill McDermott, Service Now CEO (photo courtesy Related Ross | Lila Photo)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry leader ServiceNow announced plans for an 850+ employee hub to be anchored in CityPlace, the Related Ross economic and commercial center in Downtown West Palm Beach.

Mayor Keith A. James worked tirelessly with executives of Related Ross, ServiceNow, the State of Florida and federal government to bring the industry giant to the City. Among the ServiceNow clients served are the National Hockey League (NHL), Deloitte, KPMG, Lenovo, IBM, Kraft Heinz, educational institutions, government and numerous international corporations. 

 

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Hispanic Heritage Month Honorees

2025 Hispanic Heritage Proclamation Recipients, from left, Claudia Mendoza, Estrella Parada, Caroline Villanueva, Rick Gonzalez, Father Frank O’Loughlin, and Michelle Oyola McGovern

Annually, the City of West Palm Beach pays respect and tribute to the members of the Hispanic community who have dedicated their lives to improving conditions for West Palm Beach residents and immigrants. Mayor Keith A. James started these tributes in 2023 to honor, and highlight the successes and contributions of Hispanic residents and businesspersons. Each City Commissioner is asked to select one deserving person who has contributed to the Hispanic community. 

 

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North Shore Pedestrian Bridge

The City of West Palm Beach worked with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) to bring a much-needed pedestrian bridge to the North Shore community. Prior to the new 12-foot wide span, children and pedestrians had to navigate a bridge crossing with minimal buffer between vehicles and foot traffic. City Administrator Faye Johnson joined the ribbon-cutting ceremonies in place of Mayor Keith A. James at the September 5, 2025, event.

North Shore Neighborhood Association past president, Leslie Perry, left, and current president, James Walderon, right, did the honors as West Palm Beach City Commissioners Christy Fox, Cathleen Ward and Christine Lambert, City Manager Faye Johnson, Valerie Neilson, Transportation Planning Agency, and FDOT officials look on. 

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Taking Pride in Welcoming new
West Palm Beach Firefighters

Mayor Keith A. James and West Palm Beach Fire Chief Diana Matty are joined by the Fire Academy Class 25-01. From left, Firefighter Michael Truyo, Firefighter Dalton Pohl, Mayor James, Chief Matty, Firefighter Sinead O'Donnell, Firefighter Jake Mendez, and Firefighter Norlan Gutierrez. 

The City of West Palm Beach welcomed five new firefighters to the ranks on Thursday, August 28, 2025, in ceremonies at Gaines Park. The graduating class included two legacy firefighters, whose fathers are active or retired from the fire service. 

 

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Welcome Amerant Bank

Mayor Keith A. James, center, cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Amerant Bank office in West Palm Beach. In on the event are, from left, Jesse Flowers, Amerant Bank Regional President,  Carlos Iafigliola, Amerant Bank Senior Exec VP and COO, Jessica Rivera, Amerant Bank Vice President, Marketing Manager, Branch Manager, Mayor James, Braden Smith, Amerant Bank Senior Exec VP, Chief Consumer Banking Officer, Tairis Alsina, Amerant Bank Head of Retail and Private Banking, and Dayron Jimenez, Amerant Bank Regional Sales Manager.

Amerant Bank is one of the newest financial institutions to set down roots in the City's downtown area. Regional and corporate banking officials opened their new office at 525 Okeechobee Boulevard. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor James commented: 

"It’s a pleasure to welcome Amerant Bank to the great City of West Palm Beach. Your decision to establish this as your Palm Beach County Regional Headquarters is a clear vote of confidence in our city, our people, and our future. 

This new banking center brings more than financial services — it’s an investment in our local economy. You’re creating jobs, equipping residents and businesses with the tools to succeed, and strengthening our City’s foundation through greater opportunity and access.

On behalf of the City of West Palm Beach, welcome to our diverse, ever-evolving community — together, we're building a more vibrant, prosperous, and inclusive future for every resident, business, and neighborhood in our great City." 

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You may still view a few of the past events.