Dec. 08–Harry Spirides, owner and CEO of Tybee Island’s 200-room Ocean Plaza Beach Resort, has been watching the development of the new 128,000 square foot Jekyll Island Convention Center — and adjacent five-story Westin hotel — with more than a casual interest.
And, while he’s not suggesting Tybee could handle a complex that size — the $50 million Jekyll facility can host events for up to 6,400 people — he is concerned that Tybee’s lack of significant meeting space could result in a loss of tourism dollars to other coastal resorts.
To that end, Spirides is floating the possibility of a public/private partnership to develop a conference center capable of accommodating large groups and a public parking garage to address the ever-growing need for additional parking on Tybee.
He’s also looking at securing private funds for a major revamp for his hotel as part of the project.
Tybee merchants, hotels, restaurants, bars, vacation rental companies, retail shops, convenience stores, gas stations and art galleries would all benefit from such an investment of state, county and/or city funds, Spirides said last week.
“The competition among beach resort destinations in coastal Georgia is definitely growing, and Tybee Island businesses, including my family’s hotel business, will have to make upgrades to remain competitive,” he said.
“It would be wonderful if the state, county and/or city would help boost Tybee’s tourism-based economy by building a convention center and parking garage in the island’s downtown commercial district. Both of these are very much needed to accommodate existing demand, level out the island’s business seasonality and prepare for the future,” he said.
“I really believe the combination of a conference center and parking garage would turbocharge Tybee’s economy.”
Tybee Island business leader Keith Gay agreed.
“Tybee is the perfect location for a public/private convention center and parking facility,” said Gay, chairman of the Tybee Island Tourism Council and co-owner of Tybee Beach Vacation Rentals.
“There are numerous business and association groups that would find Tybee Island a meaningful and highly enjoyable option for their corporate retreats and conventions. I fully endorse the concept and the benefits it would bring.”
Spirides has offered to contribute the land to help build the project and has even commissioned a parking study that suggests a municipal parking garage on the island’s south end would pay for itself through an increase in parking revenues from beach-goers, patrons of other nearby businesses, convention attendees and hotel guests.
Currently, he said, Ocean Plaza’s conference center can only accommodate meetings of 170 people or fewer and is turning away larger business, civic and social group meetings every day due to a lack of meeting space.
“Both Tybee Island and Jekyll Island businesses compete for vacationers and group meeting attendees from metro Atlanta and other areas,” he said. “But right now, because Tybee cannot accommodate large groups, many are forced to choose alternative beachside locations.”
And it’s not just the coastal areas looking for their share of tourism and convention dollars, said Joe Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah.
“New conference center facilities are popping up around the state — on Jekyll Island, as well as in Augusta, Athens and in Gwinnett County,” Marinelli said. “Each of those destinations, like Tybee Island, is seeing the value in attracting meetings and conferences.
“Once a conference attendee sees Tybee Island, for example, he or she is likely to come back as a vacation traveler in the future.”
In addition to the parking study, conducted by Bier Associates of New Brunswick, N.J., Spirides cites the new Georgia Tourism Development Act, which provides a state sales and use tax incentive program for tourism development projects that sustain or create jobs.
“Ocean Plaza must be totally renovated or redeveloped to remain competitive with other beach resort hotels in the Southeast,” he said. “I would love to embrace the unique 125-year history of our hotel property and create a hotel that looks very similar to the legendary Hotel Tybee that previously stood on this site.
“Some 100 years ago, Hotel Tybee was the most popular convention venue in the state,” he said. “I am hoping the new Georgia Tourism Development Act will entice hotel developers to invest in this proposed hotel renovation and expansion project.”
Spirides said he is in discussions with investors who have expressed an interest and is looking for others to participate.
“In order to give all stakeholders — investors, government partners and customers — a comfort level in the ultimate financial success of the project, which will cost between $60 million and $70 million, the hotel will be affiliated with a major brand such as Marriott, Hilton or Holiday Inn,” he added.
Tybee Mayor Jason Buelterman said he doesn’t know enough about the nuts and bolts of Spirides’ proposal to comment.
“There have been conversations about various possibilities, but we haven’t had a concrete proposal to look at,” he said. “Without that, it’s hard to know if this project is in the best interests of Tybee taxpayers.”
Buelterman added the council would be amenable to hearing a proposal from Spirides, “just as we would from any citizen bringing a potential project to the table.”
Once private investors are secured, Spirides plans to do just that, he said, adding his group will talk with Tybee, Chatham County and state officials about participating.
Cindy Meyer, an associate broker with Seabolt Brokers and a longtime Tybee resident, is a supporter of Spirides and his business, but has some reservations about his proposal.
“Around 1999, a group of about a dozen of us did our own informal research on beach towns from Myrtle Beach down to the coast of Florida where there is little or no public parking,” Meyer said. “We looked at the idea of a parking garage and concluded the island simply couldn’t support it.
“Sure, it would be full on those 15 weekends a year when the beach is packed with day trippers, but it would still need to be maintained year-round,” Meyer said. “I guess I’d have to be convinced that it could pay for itself.”
Meyer also isn’t convinced Tybee needs convention business.
“We’re unique in that we are a residential community first. That’s always been the attraction for us,” Meyer said.
“I think the right balance is already in place.”
