In 1990, with $500 in capital, Levine launched Onboard Media in a studio apartment above the News Café on Ocean Drive. Conceived as a port-marketing program for the cruise industry, the company expanded to publish eighty-five in-stateroom magazines and to produce award-winning TV programming. After growing Onboard Media into a multimillion-dollar company, Levine partnered with Berkshire Partners to acquire Starboard Cruise Services. The merger resulted in the world's largest cruise industry concessionaire, which was later sold to Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 2000. Levine maintains a diverse portfolio of investments in startups, businesses, and real estate. He is also the CEO of Royal Media Partners, an exclusive partner of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Levine also hosts a regular radio show on Sirius XM, "The Mayor," featuring discussions with elected officials and other interesting personalities on a variety of relevant topics.
Political involvement
In 2010, Levine was selected by President Obama's Secretary of Commerce to serve on a Task Force advising on U.S. tourism. The goals of the task force were to grow America's tourism industry. Levine is a self-described "radical centrist." He criticized President Trump's delayed response for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
Mayoral tenure
In November 2013, Levine was elected Mayor of Miami Beach, receiving 50.48% of the total vote in a four-person race. His campaign was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson. Levine ran on a platform of "Just Get It Done," focusing on fixing street flooding and combating sea level rise, cleaning up government corruption, reforming the police department and city finances, and placing a priority on constituent service. In June 2017, Levine hosted the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami Beach. The event brought together over 300 mayors from across the country and was the first Conference of Mayors held in the city since 1962.
Climate change
During his tenure as Miami Beach Mayor, Levine has advocated publicly for action and attention to the issues of climate change. Levine was involved in implementing solutions to sea-level rise in Miami Beach such as installing new drainage systems, investing in cutting-edge pumps and physically raising roads. In 2016, he appeared in Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary Before the Flood and in an episode of the National Geographic Channel series Years of Living Dangerously, hosted by Jack Black, to discuss the reality and impact of sea-level rise in Miami Beach and across Florida. Before Levine took over as mayor, Miami Beach had a begun a 20-year, $200 million program to combat sea-level rise with new pumps, drain pipes and sea walls. When Levine took office, his first move to mitigate flooding was a $11 million contract for three storm pumps along Alton Road around the area where Levine owns real estate. That area had one of the lowest sea-levels in the entire City and suffered from the most flooding. Later, Levine fast-tracked a plan to raise roads in the Sunset Harbour neighborhood where Levine and partners owned real estate worth about $20 million. In Levine's two terms as mayor, the city signed close to $40 million in no-bid contracts, extensions and change orders to stop flooding.
2018 Run for Florida Governor
Levine ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Florida in the 2018 election but lost in a crowded primary field. His gubernatorial platform included environmentalism, living wages, better public schools, gun safety policies and social equality; he was endorsed by the Miami Herald. He finished third behind eventual nominee Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and former U.S. Representative Gwen Graham. In the four-person primary held on August 28, Gillum, won with 34.3% of the vote. Levine came in third with 20.3% of the vote. Levine spent $29 million of his own money in the race. The money spent was about one-fifth of his total net worth.
Philanthropy
Levine serves on the board of directors for Best Buddies International, the Miami-based nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.
