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ANGIE GREENA beach hotelier says closing a street 12 hours each day will help lure a top-notch resort. He hopes to at least minimize traffic.
CLEARWATER - After proposing to build a luxury hotel and condo resort, beach hotelier Tony Markopoulos just has one more request from the city that could stop traffic.
Markopoulos wants to close S Gulf Boulevard in front of his proposed $80-million to $100-million resort daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
If he gets the city to agree to the road closing, he hopes it will help him woo a four- or five-star resort to Clearwater Beach, his spokesman said.
But the city isn't about to bar vehicles from one of the beach's most popular strips, officials said Thursday.
Markopoulos' consultant and spokesman, Ed Hooper, said closing the road may be just the benefit that persuades a flag resort to build on Clearwater Beach. Having a resort with direct beach access is something that national resort corporations are looking for when scoping out the land, Hooper said. A bad economy makes them not want to take risks on projects, he said.
"Since 9/11, the flags that run resorts, their mind-set has changed," Hooper said. "They are coveted and can be very picky. And they are very picky. They want beach access."
This is Markopoulos' second attempt to make a resort proposal. His first project was rejected two years ago as too bulky. The new, leaner, W-shaped building would stretch south from the Pier 60 parking lot to just north of Fifth Street between Gulfview and Coronado.
Each of the 400 to 450 rooms is expected to go for $200 to $300 a night. Fountains and palm trees will skirt the hotel's borders. A conference room, a tiki bar and elevated pool deck are also planned.
"There is nothing like that on Clearwater Beach right now," Hooper said.
Hooper ticked off Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons and Crown Plaza as among resorts his team has either met with or plans to meet with. He declined to be more specific.
But even though city officials hunger for development on the beach, they are not convinced that the road closure would be crucial to a resort's decision, said Ralph Stone, assistant city manager.
"The rest of the city and the community wants to be able to travel along the beachfront in the evening and during the day," Stone said. Interrupting that travel, Stone said, "we couldn't support."
While Markopoulos knows the city is against street closure, Hooper said he still hopes to strike a deal with the city on minimizing cars on S Gulfview Boulevard. Hooper said it's needed to attract developers.
"Flag resorts are not exactly stumbling over themselves trying to come to Clearwater Beach," he said. "Why encourage traffic?"
Having one-way traffic on the boulevard has also been proposed. And a 12-hour nightly traffic block is not necessarily a must, Hooper said.
Hooper, a former Clearwater city commissioner, is hopeful a compromise can be reached. But if not, Hooper says the likelihood of attracting a resort could be damaged.
"Can we get somebody to come there without that?" he asked. "Maybe."
"It just makes it harder."
A public meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 29 at the Harborview Center to discuss the development.
- Angie Green can be reached at 445-4224 or agreen@sptimes.com