The city council of Fort Myers, Fla., voted to turn down an offer from a local developer to take over an incoming downtown hotel project, instead choosing to work with a developer from Tampa, Fla.
The council voted 5-2 to accept a $500,000 deposit from Mainsail Lodging and Development of Tampa, part of a financial commitment to finish the Harborside Hotel in Fort Myers.
Three candidates were considered to take over the project, including Mainsail, the Pittman Group and SGoodman & Associates. SGoodman previously struggled to cobble together financing for the hotel in February. While the Pittman Group had previously invested in the city and promised an additional $250,000 to help with the renovation of Fort Myers' McCollum Hall update, the city council eventually chose Mainsail due to their experience.
“There is no doubt in my mind that all three, especially Mr. MacFarlane, will deliver,” city mnager Saeed Kazemi said in an address to the assembly. “But who will manage it?”
Mainsail owns and operates hotels throughout the Southeast. Originally, a Sheraton hotel was planned for the site but Joe Collier, president of Mainsail, said he wants an additional 30 days to design a different hotel.
