SkiAdcock

http://www.tampabay.com/news/busines...future/2265173

Excerpts:

"On a visit to the Tampa Bay area last month, Marriott International chairman J.W. "Bill'' Marriott Jr. told the Tampa Bay Times that he had reviewed plans for such a hotel in Clearwater. And now a developer says he has been in close contact with the company about building a 202-room gulf-view hotel on the site of what is now the Wyndham Garden Clearwater Beach.

The Wyndham's owner, Uday Lele, discussed his plans this week following speculation about where a JW Marriott would go and who would build it. Lele said he and architect Oscar Benavides met with the 84-year-old Marriott in January for what was supposed to be a five-minute meeting but ran for nearly half an hour.

After looking at the plans, Lele recalled, "(Marriott) said 'Thank you for trusting us with your property.' ''

Lele said the proposed hotel would have 166 regular rooms and 36 condos individually owned but rented through Marriott. Owners could spend up to a month at a time in their units and would split the rents with Marriott.

The condos, with one to three bedrooms, would serve as suites for the hotel, Lele said.

All rooms would have views of the hotel's 300-foot private beach that faces Sand Key, just across a nearby bridge, but that also looks toward the Gulf of Mexico. Because of a southwest jog the coastline takes in the area, guests could stand on the beach and watch the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening.

If the Marriott deal is finalized, the 110-room hotel now on the site would cease its affiliation with Wyndham in the next few months and be knocked down by year's end, Lele said."

Cheers.