Oct. 07–MILTON — Having a new hotel built on the site of the former Holiday Inn on Navarre Beach is coming closer to reality.
Holi Corp president Marilyn Hess, who owns the lease on the 18-acre property, has submitted a request asking Santa Rosa County to approve specific incentives to help move the new hotel’s development forward.
“Our plans are progressing to the point where we are in a position where we feel we can break ground in the first of the year,” said Joel Farley, spokesperson for Holi Corp. “We’re very excited.”
The proposed project will be a 160-room hotel with a national brand. Included will be an indoor and outdoor pool, 2,000 square feet of meeting space and a full-service year-round restaurant.
Farley said Holi Corp hopes to open the hotel prior to the start of the 2015 summer season.
Holi Corp has requested the county set their annual lease fee at $1 a year and to waive the water and sewer tap fees. Holi Corp has offered to pay property taxes on the project in exchange for the lower lease fee.
Commissioners are expected to vote on approving the incentives at their Thursday meeting.
“What they’re asking for is very, very reasonable and I hope that this board will be accommodating,” said Commissioner Jim Melvin.
Holi Corp plans to build out the site in phases, with the 160-room hotel and restaurant being just the first phase. The site has room for an additional hotel project to be built in the future along with other commercial businesses.
Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.
