Fernandina Beach commissioners are considering allowing further development of Royal Amelia Golf Links, a semi-private golf course built on city land.
In July, Cortland Dusseau of Hawthorn Suites Golf Resorts, a company that develops and manages hotel-conference centers around the country, showed commissioners a plan to build a resort at Royal Amelia, which is adjacent to the city airport.
The proposal included building a clubhouse, shops, a 60-unit lodge and conference center, 90 golf villas, 360 parking spots and an additional nine holes to the existing 18-hole course.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to allow Hawthorn Suites to apply for the land-use and zoning changes necessary to continue with the project.
Still, Commissioner Don "Beano" Roberts said that the decision doesn't bar the commissioners from hearing other companies' proposals for the golf course.
"Where I'm coming from, I think the presentation by Hawthorn merely opens some eyes as to the possibilities out there," Roberts said.
Royal Amelia is owned by The National Bank of South Carolina, which took the golf operation from Kingsley Creek Development Co. in late 2003 after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The bank assumed the golf course's 30-year lease with the city, but City Manager Robert Mearns said the bank hopes to eventually sell the lease.
Because Royal Amelia is built on what was formerly city airport land, and due to requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, city officials are unclear whether money and property taxes from the leased land go to the airport or the city.
Commissioners are considering lobbying for the annulment of those federal restrictions on the land surrounding the airport.
That would affect how the golf course lease is negotiated, Roberts said.
"I do not want to touch that lease at the present time," Roberts said. "I think it would be a huge mistake on our part. . . . I think there's a lot of money to be made here for the city, and I'd like to see the money go to the city."
Source: Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville)