From first friend to respond:
Hey Jennifer,
Good question. I would think one of the budget hotels in Brickell might work for conference rooms. There’s a Tru, a Novotel, and a Hampton Inn. These are all close to the Metromover (free monorail), restaurants/bars, and a fancy mall. There’s also a Comfort Inn downtown which is in a decent area, right across the river from Brickell.