As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 11, 1997

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. )

Filed by the Registrant /x/
Filed by a party other than the Registrant / /

Check the appropriate box:

/ / Preliminary Proxy Statement / / Confidential, for Use of
the Commission Only
/x/ Definitive Proxy Statement (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))

/ / Definitive Additional Materials

/ / Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box):
/x/ No fee required.

/ / Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant
to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined.):

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5) Total fee paid:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/ / Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

/ / Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

(1) Amount previously paid:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Filing Party:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Date Filed:

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND
P.O. BOX 9011
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08543-9011

------------------------

NOTICE OF 1997 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

------------------------

OCTOBER 20, 1997

TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND:

Notice is hereby given that the 1997 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the
'Meeting') of MuniVest Florida Fund (the 'Fund') will be held at the offices of
Merrill Lynch Asset Management, L.P., 800 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, New
Jersey, on Monday, October 20, 1997 at 11:15 a.m. for the following purposes:

(1) To elect a Board of Trustees to serve for the ensuing year;

(2) To consider and act upon a proposal to ratify the selection of
Deloitte & Touche LLP to serve as independent auditors of the Fund for its
current fiscal year; and

(3) To transact such other business as may properly come before the
Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on August 25, 1997 as
the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and
to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

A complete list of the shareholders of the Fund entitled to vote at the
Meeting will be available and open to the examination of any shareholder of the
Fund for any purpose germane to the Meeting during ordinary business hours from
and after October 6, 1997, at the office of the Fund, 800 Scudders Mill Road,
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536. You are cordially invited to attend the Meeting.
SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON ARE REQUESTED TO
COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED FORM OF PROXY AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE
ENVELOPE PROVIDED FOR THIS PURPOSE. The enclosed proxy is being solicited on
behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Fund.

By Order of the Board of Trustees

PATRICK D. SWEENEY
Secretary

Plainsboro, New Jersey
Dated: September 11, 1997

PROXY STATEMENT
------------------------

MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND
P.O. BOX 9011
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08543-9011
------------------------

1997 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
------------------------

OCTOBER 20, 1997

INTRODUCTION

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of
proxies on behalf of the Board of Trustees of MuniVest Florida Fund, a
Massachusetts business trust (the 'Fund'), to be voted at the 1997 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund (the 'Meeting'), to be held at the offices
of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, L.P. ('MLAM'), 800 Scudders Mill Road,
Plainsboro, New Jersey, on Monday, October 20, 1997 at 11:15 a.m. The
approximate mailing date of this Proxy Statement is September 15, 1997.

All properly executed proxies received prior to the Meeting will be voted
at the Meeting in accordance with the instructions marked thereon or otherwise
as provided therein. Unless instructions to the contrary are marked, proxies
will be voted for the election of the Board of Trustees to serve for the ensuing
year, and for the ratification of the selection of independent auditors to serve
for the Fund's current fiscal year. Any proxy may be revoked at any time prior
to the exercise thereof by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Fund at
the Fund's address indicated above or by voting in person at the Meeting.

The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on August 25, 1997,
as the record date (the 'Record Date') for the determination of shareholders
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting and at any adjournment thereof.
Shareholders on the Record Date will be entitled to one vote for each share
held, with no shares having cumulative voting rights. As of the Record Date, the
Fund had outstanding 5,978,662 shares of beneficial interest, par value $.10 per
share ('Common Shares'), and 1,600 auction market preferred shares, par value
$.05 per share and liquidation preference $25,000 per share plus an amount equal
to accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon ('AMPS'). To the knowledge of the
Fund, as of the Record Date, no person is the beneficial owner of more than five
percent of the outstanding Common Shares or more than five percent of the
outstanding AMPS.

The Board of Trustees of the Fund knows of no business other than that
mentioned in Items 1 and 2 of the Notice of Meeting that will be presented for
consideration at the Meeting. If any other matter is properly presented, it is
the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote in accordance
with their best judgment.

ITEM 1. ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

At the Meeting, the Board of Trustees will be elected to serve until the
next Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are elected and
qualified. It is intended that all properly executed proxies will be voted
(unless such authority has been withheld in the proxy) as follows:

(1) All proxies of the holders of AMPS, voting separately as a class,
in favor of the two (2) persons designated as Trustees to be elected by
holders of AMPS; and

(2) All proxies of the holders of AMPS and Common Shares, voting
together as a single class, in favor of the four (4) persons designated as
Trustees to be elected by holders of AMPS and Common Shares.

The Board of Trustees of the Fund knows of no reason why any of these
nominees will be unable to serve, but in the event of any such unavailability,
the proxies received will be voted for such substitute nominee or nominees as
the Board of Trustees may recommend.

Certain information concerning the nominees, including their designated
classes, is set forth below:

TO BE ELECTED BY HOLDERS OF AMPS, VOTING SEPARATELY AS A CLASS:

SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED ON
THE RECORD DATE
PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS ---------------------
NAME AND ADDRESS DURING PAST FIVE YEARS TRUSTEE COMMON
OF NOMINEE AGE AND PUBLIC DIRECTORSHIPS(1) SINCE SHARES AMPS
- ----------------------------------- ---- ------------------------------------------- -------- --------- ---------

Donald Cecil(1)(2) ................ 70 Special Limited Partner of Cumberland 1993 0 0
Cumberland Associates Partners (an investment partnership) since
1114 Avenue of the Americas 1982; Member of Institute of Chartered
New York, New York 10036 Financial Analysts; Member and Chairman of
Westchester County (N.Y.) Board of
Transportation.
M. Colyer Crum(1)(2) .............. 65 Currently James R. Williston Professor of 1993 0 0
Soldiers Field Road Investment Management Emeritus, Harvard
Boston, Massachusetts 02163 Business School; James R. Williston
Professor of Investment Management, Harvard
Business School, from 1971 to 1996;
Director of Cambridge Bancorp, Copley
Properties, Inc. and Sun Life Assurance
Company of Canada.

TO BE ELECTED BY HOLDERS OF AMPS AND COMMON SHARES, VOTING TOGETHER AS A SINGLE CLASS:
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED ON

THE RECORD DATE
PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS ---------------------
NAME AND ADDRESS DURING PAST FIVE YEARS TRUSTEE COMMON
OF NOMINEE AGE AND PUBLIC DIRECTORSHIPS(1) SINCE SHARES AMPS
- ----------------------------------- ---- ------------------------------------------- -------- --------- ---------

Edward H. Meyer(1)(2) ............. 70 President of Grey Advertising Inc. since 1993 0 0
Grey Advertising Inc. 1968, Chief Executive Officer since 1970
777 Third Avenue and Chairman of the Board of Directors
New York, New York 10017 since 1972; Director of The May Department
Stores Company, Bowne & Co., Inc.
(financial printers), Ethan Allen
Interiors, Inc. and Harman International
Industries, Inc.

Jack B. Sunderland(1)(2) .......... 69 President and Director of American 1993 0 0
P.O. Box 7 Independent Oil Company, Inc. (an energy
West Cornwall, Connecticut 06796 company) since 1987; Member of Council on
Foreign Relations since 1971.
J. Thomas Touchton(1)(2) .......... 58 Managing Partner of The Witt-Touchton 1993 0 0
Suite 3405 Company and its predecessor, The Witt Co.
One Tampa City Center (a private investment partnership) since
Tampa, Florida 33602 1972; Trustee Emeritus of Washington and
Lee University; Director of TECO Energy,
Inc. (an electric utility holding company).
Arthur Zeikel(1)* ................. 65 President of Fund Asset Management, L.P. 1993 0 0
800 Scudders Mill Road ('FAM', which term as used herein includes
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536 its corporate predecessors) since 1977;
President of MLAM (which term as used
herein includes its corporate predecessors)
since 1977; President and Director of
Princeton Services, Inc. ('Princeton
Services') since 1993; Executive Vice
President of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. ('ML
& Co.') since 1990; Director of Merrill
Lynch Funds Distributor, Inc. ('MLFD')
since 1977.

- ------------------

(1) Each of the nominees is a director, trustee or member of an advisory board
of certain other investment companies for which FAM or MLAM acts as
investment adviser. See 'Compensation of Trustees.'

(2) Member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees.

* Interested person, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the 'Investment Company Act'), of the Fund.

Committees and Board of Trustees Meetings. The Board of Trustees has a
standing Audit Committee, which consists of Trustees who are not 'interested
persons' of the Fund within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. The
principal purpose of the Audit Committee is to review the scope of the annual
audit conducted by the Fund's independent auditors and the evaluation by such
auditors of the accounting procedures followed by the Fund. The non-interested
Trustees have retained independent legal counsel to assist them in connection
with these duties. The Board of Trustees does not have a nominating committee.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996, the Board of Trustees held
four meetings and the Audit Committee held four meetings. All of the Trustees
attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of

meetings of the Board of Trustees and, if a member, of the total number of
meetings of the Audit Committee held during the period.

Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
'Exchange Act'), requires the Fund's officers, trustees and persons who own more
than ten percent of a registered class of the Fund's equity securities, to file
reports of ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4 and 5 with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') and the New York Stock Exchange.
Officers, trustees and greater than ten percent shareholders are required by SEC
regulations to furnish the Fund with copies of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 they file.

Based solely on the Fund's review of the copies of such forms, and
amendments thereto, furnished to it during or with respect to its most recent
fiscal year, and written representations from certain reporting persons that
they were not required to file Form 5 with respect to the most recent fiscal
year, the Fund believes that all of its officers, trustees, greater than ten
percent beneficial owners and other persons subject to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act because of the requirements of Section 30 of the Investment Company
Act (i.e., any advisory board member, investment adviser or affiliated person of
the Fund's investment adviser), have complied with all filing requirements
applicable to them with respect to transactions during the Fund's most recent
fiscal year, except that Patrick D. Sweeney inadvertently failed to file a
timely report on Form 3 to disclose his appointment as an officer of the Fund.

Interested Persons. The Fund considers Mr. Zeikel to be an 'interested
person' of the Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment
Company Act because of the positions he holds with FAM and its affiliates. Mr.
Zeikel is the President of the Fund and the President of FAM and MLAM.

Compensation of Trustees. FAM, the Fund's investment adviser, pays all
compensation of all officers of the Fund and all Trustees of the Fund who are
affiliated with ML & Co. or its subsidiaries. The Fund pays each Trustee not
affiliated with FAM (each a 'non-affiliated Trustee') a fee of $2,500 per year
plus $250 per regular meeting attended, together with such Trustee's actual
out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The Fund also pays
each member of its Audit Committee, which consists of all of the non-affiliated
Trustees, a fee of $500 per year plus $125 per meeting attended, together with
such Trustee's out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at meetings. These
fees and expenses aggregated $20,253 for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996.

The following table sets forth, for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1996,
compensation paid by the Fund to the non-affiliated Trustees, and for the
calendar year ended December 31, 1996, the aggregate compensation paid by all
registered investment companies advised by FAM and its affiliate, MLAM
('FAM/MLAM Advised Funds') to the non-affiliated Trustees.

NAME PENSION OR RETIREMENT AGGREGATE COMPENSATION FROM FUND
OF COMPENSATION BENEFITS ACCRUED AS PART AND FAM/MLAM ADVISED FUNDS PAID
TRUSTEE FROM FUND OF FUND EXPENSES TO TRUSTEES
- ---- ------------- ------------------------- ---------------------------------

Donald Cecil(1) $4,500 None $268,933
M. Colyer Crum(1) $4,500 None $117,600
Edward H. Meyer(1) $4,500 None $227,933
Jack B. Sunderland(1) $4,500 None $128,100
J. Thomas Touchton(1) $4,500 None $128,100

- ------------------
(1) The Trustees serve on the Boards of FAM/MLAM Advised Funds as follows:
Mr. Cecil (32 registered investment companies consisting of 32 portfolios),
Mr. Crum (14 registered investment companies consisting of 14 portfolios),
Mr. Meyer (32 registered investment companies consisting of 32 portfolios),
Mr. Sunderland (17 registered investment companies consisting of 29
portfolios) and Mr. Touchton (17 registered investment companies consisting
of 29 portfolios).

Officers of the Fund. The Board of Trustees has elected eight officers of
the Fund. The following sets forth information concerning each of these
officers:

OFFICER
NAME AND PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OFFICE AGE SINCE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- ---- --------

Arthur Zeikel ................................................................... President 65 1993
President of FAM since 1977; President of MLAM since 1977; President and

Director of Princeton Services since 1993; Executive Vice President of ML & Co.
since 1990; Director of MLFD since 1977.
Terry K. Glenn .................................................................. Executive Vice 56 1993
Executive Vice President of FAM and MLAM since 1983; Executive Vice President President
and Director of Princeton Services since 1993; President of MLFD since 1986 and
Director thereof since 1991; President of Princeton Administrators, L.P. since
1988.
Vincent R. Giordano ............................................................. Vice President 53 1993
Senior Vice President of FAM and MLAM since 1984; Senior Vice President of
Princeton Services since 1993.
Kenneth A. Jacob ................................................................ Vice President 46 1993
Vice President of FAM and MLAM since 1984.
Robert A. DiMella ............................................................... Vice President 31 1993
Vice President of MLAM since 1997; Assistant Portfolio Manager of MLAM from
1993 to 1995; Assistant Portfolio Manager with Prudential Investment Advisors
from 1992 to 1993; Research Associate with Prudential Investment Corporation
from 1989 to 1992.
Donald C. Burke ................................................................. Vice President 37 1993
Vice President and Director of Taxation of MLAM since 1990.
Gerald M. Richard ............................................................... Treasurer 48 1993
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of FAM and MLAM since 1984; Senior Vice
President and Treasurer of Princeton Services since 1993; Treasurer of MLFD
since 1984 and Vice President thereof since 1981.
Patrick D. Sweeney .............................................................. Secretary 43 1997
Vice President of MLAM since 1990.

Share Ownership. At the Record Date, the Trustees and officers of the Fund
as a group (13 persons) owned an aggregate of less than 1% of the Common Shares
of the Fund outstanding at such date and owned none of the AMPS outstanding at
such date. At such date, Mr. Zeikel, a Trustee and officer of the Fund, and the
other officers of the Fund owned an aggregate of less than 1% of the outstanding
shares of common stock of ML & Co.

ITEM 2. SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Board of Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the Trustees who
are not interested persons of the Fund, has selected the firm of Deloitte &
Touche LLP ('D&T'), independent auditors, to examine the financial statements of
the Fund for the current fiscal year. The Fund knows of no direct or indirect
financial interest of D&T in the Fund. Such appointment is subject to
ratification or rejection by the shareholders of the Fund. Unless a contrary
specification is made, the accompanying proxy will be voted in favor of
ratifying the selection of such auditors.

D&T also acts as independent auditors for ML & Co. and all of its
subsidiaries and for most other investment companies for which FAM or MLAM acts
as investment adviser. The fees received by D&T from these other entities are
greater, in the aggregate, than the total fees received by it from the Fund. The
Board of Trustees of the Fund considered the fact that D&T has been retained as
the independent auditors for ML & Co. and the other entities described above in
its evaluation of the independence of D&T with respect to the Fund.

Representatives of D&T are expected to be present at the Meeting and will
have the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and to respond to
questions from shareholders.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The expenses of preparation, printing and mailing of the enclosed form of
proxy and accompanying Notice and Proxy Statement will be borne by the Fund. The
Fund will reimburse banks, brokers and others for their reasonable expenses in
forwarding proxy solicitation material to the beneficial owners of the shares of
the Fund. The Fund may also hire proxy solicitors at the expense of the Fund.

In order to obtain the necessary quorum at the Meeting (i.e., a majority of
the shares of each class of the Fund's securities entitled to vote at the
Meeting, present in person or by proxy), supplementary solicitation may be made
by mail, telephone, telegraph or personal interview by officers of the Fund. It
is anticipated that the cost of such supplementary solicitation, if any, will be
nominal.

All shares represented by properly executed proxies, unless such proxies
have previously been revoked, will be voted at the Meeting in accordance with
the directions on the proxies; if no direction is indicated, the shares will be
voted 'FOR' the Trustee nominees and 'FOR' the ratification of D&T as
independent auditors.

With respect to Item 1, 'Election of Trustees,' holders of AMPS, voting
separately as a class, are entitled to elect two Trustees and holders of Common
Shares and AMPS, voting together as a single class, are entitled to elect the
remaining Trustees. Assuming a quorum is present, (i) election of the two
Trustees to be elected by the holders of AMPS, voting separately as a class,
will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders
of AMPS, represented at the Meeting and entitled to vote; (ii) election of the
remaining Trustees will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
cast by the holders of Common Shares and AMPS represented at the Meeting and
entitled to vote, voting together as a single class; and (iii) approval of Item
2, 'Selection of Independent Auditors,' will require the affirmative vote of a
majority of the votes cast by the holders of Common Shares and AMPS represented
at the Meeting and entitled to vote, voting together as a single class.

Broker-dealer firms, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated ('Merrill Lynch'), holding Fund shares in 'street name' for the
benefit of their customers and clients will request the instructions of such
customers and clients on how to vote their shares on each Item before the
Meeting. The Fund understands that, under the rules of the New York Stock
Exchange, such broker-dealer firms may, without instructions from their
customers and clients, grant authority to the proxies designated to vote on the
election of Trustees (Item 1) and ratification of the selection of independent
auditors (Item 2) if no instructions have been received prior to the date
specified in the broker-dealer firm's request for voting instructions. The Fund
will include shares held of record by broker-dealers as to which such authority
has been granted in its tabulation of the total number of votes present for
purposes of determining whether the necessary quorum of shareholders exists.
Proxies that are returned to the Fund but that are marked 'abstain' or on which

a broker-dealer has declined to vote on any proposal ('broker non-votes') will
be counted as present for purposes of a quorum. Merrill Lynch has advised the
Fund that it intends to exercise discretion over shares held in its name for
which no instructions have been

received by voting such shares on Items 1 and 2 in the same proportion as it has
voted shares for which it has received instructions. Abstentions and broker
non-votes will not be counted as votes cast. Abstentions and broker non-votes,
therefore, will not have an effect on the vote on Item 1 and Item 2.

ADDRESS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

The principal office of FAM is located at 800 Scudders Mill Road,
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536.

ANNUAL REPORT DELIVERY

The Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its Annual Report for the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1996 and a copy of its Semi-Annual Report for the
six months ended April 30, 1997 to any shareholder upon request. Such requests
should be directed to MuniVest Florida Fund, P.O. Box 9011, Princeton, New
Jersey 08543-9011, Attention: Patrick D. Sweeney, or to 1-800-456-4587 ext. 123.

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

If a shareholder intends to present a proposal at the 1998 Annual Meeting
of Shareholders of the Fund, which is anticipated to be held in September 1998,
and desires to have the proposal included in the Fund's proxy statement and form
of proxy for that meeting, the shareholder must deliver the proposal to the
offices of the Fund by March 31, 1998.

By Order of the Board of Trustees

PATRICK D. SWEENEY
Secretary

Dated: September 11, 1997

COMMON SHARES

MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND
P.O. Box 9011
Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011

P R O X Y

This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Trustees

The undersigned hereby appoints Arthur Zeikel, Terry K. Glenn and Patrick
D. Sweeney as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby
authorizes them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse hereof,
all the Common Shares of MuniVest Florida Fund (the "Fund") held of record by
the undersigned on August 25, 1997 at the annual meeting of shareholders of the
Fund to be held on October 20, 1997 or any adjournment thereof.

This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed
herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will
be voted for Proposals 1 and 2.

(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side)

Please mark boxes o or |X| in blue or black ink.

1. ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

FOR all nominees listed below
(except as marked to the contrary below) |_|

WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
to vote for all nominees listed below |_|

(INSTRUCTION: TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE,
STRIKE A LINE THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.) EDWARD H. MEYER,
JACK B. SUNDERLAND, J. THOMAS TOUCHTON, ARTHUR ZEIKEL

2. Proposal to ratify the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent
auditors of the Fund to serve for the current fiscal year.

FOR |_| AGAINST |_| ABSTAIN |_|

3. In the discretion of such proxies, upon such other business as may properly
come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. When shares are
held by joint tenants, both should sign. When signing as
attorney or as executor, administrator, trustee or guardian,
please give full title as such. If a corporation, please
sign in full corporate name by president or other authorized
officer. If a partnership, please sign in partnership name
by authorized persons.

Dated: , 1997
------------------------------------------------
X
---------------------------------------------------------
Signature

X
----------------------------------------------------------
Signature, if held jointly

Sign, Date and Return the Proxy Card Promptly Using the Enclosed Envelope.

AUCTION MARKET
PREFERRED SHARES

MUNIVEST FLORIDA FUND
P.O. Box 9011
Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011

P R O X Y

This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Trustees

The undersigned hereby appoints Arthur Zeikel, Terry K. Glenn and Patrick
D. Sweeney as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby
authorizes them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse hereof,
all the Auction Market Preferred Shares of MuniVest Florida Fund (the "Fund")
held of record by the undersigned on August 25, 1997 at the annual meeting of
shareholders of the Fund to be held on October 20, 1997 or any adjournment
thereof.

This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed
herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this proxy will
be voted for Proposals 1 and 2.

(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side)

Please mark boxes o or |X| in blue or black ink.

1. ELECTION OF TRUSTEES

FOR all nominees listed below
(except as marked to the contrary below) |_|

WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
to vote for all nominees listed below |_|

(INSTRUCTION: TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE,
STRIKE A LINE THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.) DONALD CECIL, M.
COLYER CRUM, EDWARD H. MEYER, JACK B. SUNDERLAND, J. THOMAS TOUCHTON, ARTHUR
ZEIKEL

2. Proposal to ratify the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the
independent auditors of the Fund to serve for the current fiscal year.

FOR |_| AGAINST |_| ABSTAIN |_|

3. In the discretion of such proxies, upon such other business as may
properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Dated: , 1997
------------------------------------------------
X
---------------------------------------------------------
Signature

X
----------------------------------------------------------
Signature, if held jointly

Sign, Date and Return the Proxy Card Promptly Using the Enclosed Envelope.