TAMPA | Ritz-Carlton | Two 19 story towers | 220 feet | 269 hotel units | 176 condos | DEAD

[smiley]

I was flipping channels (today) and saw a bit of the city council. DIngfelder made a reference to a Ritz-Carlton (he also said they had the Ikea before them) - I think maybe in West Shore or Rocky Pointe (but he did not say) . . . anybody see any thing or know anything?

I would be happy with a Ritz but I would like it somehwere that would have some effect on the area around it. . .

[kentski]

You got to it first, Smiley, because I heard the same thing flipping through.

From what I saw, its definitely a new project (taking the Radisson's place on Rocky Point) and a rendering I haven't seen before, and a big project (hotel, condos, residences, and docks). Didn't hear "Ritz Carlton" until Dingelfelder made the comment "first an Ikea on one end, and now a Ritz Carlton on the other ... what a Council meeting" (or something to that effect).

I know all of the Council members were excited about it (as they were the Ikea, and the community really came out in support of Ikea as well).

Ritz Cartlon? Pretty damn exciting ... guess we'll find out in the morning.

[smiley]

Well, I have to say Rocky Point is the least favorite logical location (ok, 22nd St and Hillsborough Ave is less of an ideal location but still) than I would have liked.

[Jasonhouse]

Wow... Hadn't heard anything about this until now...

[jonknee]

Florida already has more RCs than anywhere else, so it's plausible. This would be big. But as already said, too bad it has to be stuck by the airport.

[tampamobster21]

I think that it should be in Downtown or Channelside. I think it would benefit more from these two areas. Not to mention it would be another notch on the bedpost for downtown. I do not see the point in sticking it way out there.

[FloridaFuture]

Well if it replacing the Radisson it's likely the Ritz had water views/front in mind when picking its location. I also think it should be in a more urban area where Downtown and the Hotel could both benefit from each other.

If Rocky Point had maybe a Grocery Store and of some sort it would be a very cool place to live.

[smiley]

odd but neither paper mentioned either the Ritz or the IKEA. Well, not that od given the the quality of the Trib and the fact the projects would be in Tampa and the Times hates tampa

[FloridaFuture]

Originally Posted by smiley

odd but neither paper mentioned either the Ritz or the IKEA. Well, not that od given the the quality of the Trib and the fact the projects would be in Tampa and the Times hates tampa

True, I'm thinking that the Business Journal will have something on it today, hopefully.

[Jasonhouse]

I'm sure they will.

[smiley]

Nope. I may try to contact the Trib to see if they will run something

[Jasonhouse]

Perhaps there isn't as much to this as people think? This seems wierd to me.

[jonknee]

Well Ikea itself would be big news... One would think.

[FloridaFuture]

Here we go finally, only 2 days after the freaking meeting, and still nothing on IKEA.

Courtney Campbell Soon May Be Puttin' On The Ritz
Skip directly to the full story.
By ELLEN GEDALIUS The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 26, 2007


TAMPA - Plans are under way to bring a Ritz-Carlton hotel to the shores beside the Courtney Campbell Parkway.

Developers hope it becomes the area's first five-star hotel.

Clearwater-based developers Orion Communities and RPS LLC are in the final stages of negotiations with the hotel chain, said Sandip Patel, president and chief executive of the development companies.

He hopes to reach an agreement within the next two months, break ground on the 6-acre parcel in early 2008 and open in October 2010.

"It's just going to be the showpiece for the city," Patel said

A Ritz-Carlton official would not discuss the deal other than to say no contract had been signed.

If the plans go through, the Radisson Bay Harbor hotel will be torn down to make room for the new development, said John Grandoff, an attorney for the developer.

Plans call for two 220-foot towers on the Courtney Campbell at Rocky Point Drive. One tower will have 274 hotel rooms and 48 residential units.

The second tower will have 136 condo units.

"Some people want to live at the Ritz," Grandoff said.

The hotel will include a restaurant and boutique retail shops, such as a jewelry and clothing stores. It also will feature boat docks, but those will be accessible only to condominium dwellers.

Building the dock requires approval from the Tampa Port Authority.

The hotel will be close to Rocky Point's bars and restaurants. Several other hotel and condo projects are in the area as well.

The development team debuted plans at a city council meeting Thursday night; those plans were well-received, Councilman John Dingfelder said.

"Between Ikea and Ritz-Carlton, it was definitely a good evening for Tampa and putting Tampa back on the map," Dingfelder said Friday.

Mark Huey, the city's economic development administrator, said he had been trying for years to bring a Ritz-Carlton to Tampa.

"This is the closest a Ritz-Carlton deal has come," Huey said. "Of all the five-star hotels, they have the strongest brand identity. That's something our community has lacked."

Huey said he hopes having a five-star hotel in Tampa will help the city land more national conventions and other large events.

The city council is expected to give preliminary approval to the project June 14.

Researcher Catherine Hammer contributed to this story. Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at egedalius@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7679.

http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGB5NPHD52F.html

[FloridaFuture]

I tell you if they work off the waterfront well by putting a restaraunt on it, and try to get some street/water interaction with the retail this could be one heck of a project.

It is just a shame that this is delegated to Rocky Point when we possibly could've had a nice 40 story mixed use proposal for downtown.

I wonder if this will jepordizes the Westin project.

[Jasonhouse]

^Maybe, maybe not... Hotel vacancies are low enough to warrant some construction of new hotel rooms... And since the Ritz is replacing old stock (just as the Westin is doing), all this is really doing is moving Rocky Point further up the hotel food chain. Rooms are being added, but it isn't the same as all together new growth.


Mmm... An article finally published only two days late.... Dammit, can we code a blog into the software already!?!?


Oh, and for those who were wondering, now we know what is taking up the slack since Harbour Island is essentially built out. IIRC, this is the 3rd highrise project for Rocky Point, encompassing 6 towers.

[tampamobster21]

Thanks to HI being built out all they can do is build up.

[Maxim98]

Originally Posted by tampamobster21

Thanks to HI being built out all they can do is build up.

On HI? lol, built out... means that there is no more land. I don't expect to see much of the current HI being redeveloped for several more decades.

[jonknee]

Two restaurants according to the Times.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingne...may_be_ge.html

Tampa may be getting a Ritz

TAMPA — A Clearwater developer is negotiating to bring what it says will be the only five-star hotel in Tampa to property near the Courtney Campbell Parkway.

If negotiations between Ritz-Carlton and developer Sandip Patel are successful, the new hotel would be built where the Radisson Bay Harbor Hotel at Rocky Point now stands. The Radisson would be demolished.

In January, Patel’s company said the new $300-million development would have two towers, one with 325 luxury rooms and condos while the second would have just condos. Residents and hotel guests would share two hotel restaurants, a spa, bar, pool and banquest hall.

City officials said Patel’s development companies should know by July is negotiations are successful. Mark Huey, the city’s economic development administrator, said negotiations appear far along and he is confident a deal can be struck.

A five-star hotel, Huey said, would help Tampa market itself.

“It really is an element that will make us more competitive for certain kinds of convention and tourism business,” Huey said on Saturday.

[FloridaFuture]

If this rendering is accurate, it is a very unisnspired beachy looking project, unlike other projects and current towers that are mostly glass. Definitley like TTT not fitting in with the downtown skyline.



From one of the developer's websites: http://orioncommunities.com/rockypoint.htm