Cocoa Beach established to Okay $300M Westin luxurious vacation resort at International Palms web page

COCOA Seaside, Fla. – Plagued by “aging and deteriorating buildings, features and infrastructure,” the Intercontinental Palms Vacation resort and Convention Middle created far much more law enforcement calls than any Cocoa Seaside resort from 2016-19, metropolis documents demonstrate.

Now, strategies are advancing to raze Intercontinental Palms and exchange it with a $300 million, four-star-additionally Westin-branded oceanfront vacation resort with 502 rooms, according to News 6 associate Florida Now.

“They say a mounting tide raises all boats,” the developer, Driftwood Funds CEO Carlos Rodriguez Sr., instructed the Cocoa Seaside City Commission on March 18.

“And very frankly, when you are having rid of the unsightly duck that basically fees really small for its rooms — and you’re replacing it (with) a lodge that generates $300-$350 place nights — all the other resorts in the place will be capable to elevate costs,” Rodriguez reported.

The Metropolis Commission unanimously authorised 1st looking at of the project’s enhancement settlement and rezoning. Commissioners will look at the ordinance’s second, final reading during Thursday’s assembly, which starts at 7 p.m. at City Corridor.

Driftwood Money acquired Worldwide Palms for $23 million in Oct 2016. If commissioners approve the ordinance Thursday, Rodriguez mentioned he hopes to demolish the getting older 16-acre sophisticated at 1300 N. Atlantic Ave. by year’s conclusion.

The goal Westin opening date: early 2024.

Driftwood Money is a Coral Gables private agency that owns Hilton Cocoa Seaside Oceanfront and Crowne Plaza Melbourne Oceanfront in unincorporated Indialantic, along with a nationwide portfolio of motels.

Rodriguez reported the Cocoa Seashore Westin will be a resort destination wherever people invest “many times.” Ideas call for:

The major convention centre in Brevard County.
Tennis, bocce ball, shuffleboard, basketball and pickleball courts.
A deep-water wave pool for surfers.
Topgolf Swing Suites.
A vacation resort pool with cabanas and a kiddie pool.
A day spa and salon.

The Westin redevelopment undertaking has involved four a long time of substantial Town Corridor negotiations, explained Randy Stevenson, constructing department and growth solutions director.

“This individual project represents probably the greatest redevelopment undertaking in Cocoa Beach front in my memory,” Stevenson mentioned.

International Palms has 11 properties that were being manufactured through phases in 1963-64 and 1978-79, with internal renovations included in 2004. The lodge has 502 rooms, more than any competitor on the House Coast.

From September 2016 to September 2019, Cocoa Beach front police acquired 2,155 calls at the property — “many of them drug-related, and far in extra of any other vacation resort location in the city,” a Metropolis Commission easement ordinance claimed.

Nick Miller, a Kimley-Horn & Associates engineer, informed commissioners practically 50% of the International Palms website is coated with impervious substance. This sends “significant” polluted stormwater runoff into the State Highway A1A drainage technique and, eventually, the Indian River Lagoon.

Miller said the Westin challenge will reduce impervious surfaces by 22% and include an underground stormwater retention procedure.

Rodriguez reported the project will include today’s public beach front-accessibility easement that extends throughout the home. This easement will provide as a landscaped “central backbone,” foremost past a espresso shop, a diner, a beach front club and a gelato shop.

Reps of the close by Marlin Condominiums and Sandcastles Condominiums questioned commissioners to be saved in the loop with regards to options on demolition, construction, a proposed loading dock off Tulip Avenue, and other items.

Commissioner Skip Williams and Stevenson claimed the Westin job still has to go via the constructing allow system, and many details will be fixed later on.