Flash: How Miami Design District Enhanced Parking and the Guest Experience

For world-class destinations, the guest experience is paramount. Every detail, from the grand architecture to the smallest interaction, is carefully curated to leave a lasting impression. In a place like Miami Design District (MDD)—a globally recognized hub for luxury, art and design—that experience must be flawless from the moment a visitor arrives. But what happens when a functional necessity like parking creates friction in an otherwise seamless journey?

This was the challenge facing MDD. The arrival and departure process risked undermining the very luxury it was meant to support. To solve this, MDD partnered with Flash to transform its parking infrastructure. They turned a pain point into a sophisticated, technology-driven extension of the District’s brand, proving that even parking can become an art form.

The Challenge: When parking operations create friction

Miami Design District is a sprawling, dynamic destination, with nearly 2,000 parking spaces serving over 90,000 vehicles every month. As the District’s popularity soared, the complexity of its parking operations grew with it. The existing systems struggled to keep pace, leading to familiar yet costly problems.

Key issues included:

• Frustrating bottlenecks: Long queues at entry and exit gates created delays, starting and ending visits on a negative note.
• Operational headaches: Managing multiple garages with outdated technology was inefficient and lacked the real-time data needed for effective oversight.
• Revenue leakage: Inaccuracies and gaps in the system meant that revenue was not being fully captured.

Andrew Peach, General Manager of Miami Design District, highlighted the importance of this initial touchpoint. “Parking is crucial to our overall guest experience—obviously being the first impression and the last impression that our guests encounter while visiting,” he stated. “It’s one of the most important aspects of the customer journey.” MDD required a smarter, more flexible system that could deliver speed, satisfaction and complete financial and operational visibility.

The Solution: AI-powered Vision™ and Express Pay

To address these challenges, MDD looked to Flash to implement a comprehensive, camera-based platform. The objective was to craft a modern and intelligent parking journey that mirrored the luxury of the District itself. The solution was built around a suite of interconnected technologies designed to automate operations and elevate the guest experience.

“What led us to really narrow in on Express Pay and Vision was two-part,” explained Peach. “Number one, the operational ease it provided us, but also the seamless parking solution that we could provide our guests.”

The core components of the solution were:

Vision™: The Art of Intelligent Insight

At the system’s core, AI-powered license plate recognition (LPR) cameras capture every vehicle with high accuracy. This technology, known as Vision™, transforms simple vehicle entry and exit into a source of actionable data. It gives operators the flexibility and control to manage multiple garages efficiently while ensuring every transaction is accurately recorded for complete revenue capture.

Express Pay: The Art of Acceleration

Express Pay revolutionizes the payment process. Visitors enroll once through popular apps like ParkMobile, turning their license plate into their parking credential. Once enrolled, they can drive in and out without stopping to pull a ticket or interact with a payment kiosk. The process is entirely automated, delivering a truly frictionless experience that aligns with the expectations of a luxury destination.

Flexible Operating Modes: The Art of Control

The Flash platform allows operators to customize gate behavior based on their facility’s unique needs. MDD adopted a hybrid model to optimize both traffic flow and revenue. All vehicles enjoy a free-flow entry, as gates open automatically upon plate capture. On exit, the lanes remain gated to ensure drivers not enrolled in Express Pay complete their payment. This configuration maximizes speed on arrival while preventing the revenue loss common in fully gateless systems.

Trusted Network: The Art of Connection

Through Flash’s partnership with ParkMobile, MDD gained immediate access to millions of drivers through the apps they already use. This open, shared network provides guests with payment flexibility while simultaneously increasing exposure and driving demand for the District’s parking assets.

The Results: Boosting revenue and enhancing the guest experience

The impact of the new Flash system was both immediate and significant. Miami Design District successfully elevated its guest journey while also achieving remarkable improvements in operational efficiency and financial performance. The key results include:

• Double-digit revenue growth: Without adjusting parking rates, MDD saw a 17% increase in revenue. This was a direct result of improved plate recognition accuracy and more complete revenue capture.
• Strong digital payment adoption: The new system achieved a 41%+ Express Pay conversion rate, which continues to grow as more visitors embrace the convenience of automated payments.
• Faster ingress and egress: By removing the need for vehicles to stop at entry, traffic flow increased 5-6x, eliminating frustrating bottlenecks.
• Data-driven decision making:The platform’s real-time analytics provide MDD with deep insights into utilization, enabling better planning for large-scale events and more informed decisions about staffing and resource allocation.

“From the guest experience, it’s created a frictionless, seamless parking experience,” Peach confirmed. “And from an operational standpoint, we’ve seen double-digit growth since implementing the Flash system.”

Conclusion: The future of arrival is here

In a place that celebrates art and design, parking is no longer just a utility—it has become part of the canvas. The collaboration between Miami Design District and Flash shows how thoughtfully applied technology can transform functional spaces into inspiring experiences. From entry to exit, every moment now reflects the District’s commitment to precision, performance and guest satisfaction. This successful transformation serves as a blueprint for other property owners and real estate operators.

As Andrew Peach advises, “Other landlords and owners should really consider the data, analytics, and revenue increase a system like Flash can deliver. The overall capture rate is instrumental.” By embracing innovation, Miami Design District has not only solved a critical operational challenge but has also set a new standard for what the arrival experience can and should be. Explore how AI-powered parking technology and automated digital payments can elevate the guest experience at your locations. Discover The Art of Arrival.

About FLASH 

FLASH is a pioneering technology company bringing seamless parking and EV charging experiences to drivers through a first-of-its-kind digital ecosystem. Flash’s platform connects reservable parking and charging in the apps drivers use every day with garage, surface lot, event, and valet parking locations — connected and controlled via a cloud-based operating system with unrivaled intelligence. Customer-obsessed brands partner with Flash to deliver digital, easy-to-use, reliable, and increasingly frictionless experiences to drivers eager to pay for a solution that eliminates wasted time, excess emissions, and stress from driving. The solution has arrived. Visit www.flashparking.com to learn more.