JoAnn
TUG Lifetime Member
The following article was in this morning's Business section of the Fort Myers News-Press www.news-press.com
It should be of some interest to some of you, as we read it that the t/s part will go too, in the near future.
Greetree to replace Admiral Lehigh resort
By Justin St. Clair
jstclair@news-press.com
Originally posted on June 30, 2006
When developers brought northerners to Lehigh Acres to entice them with affordable quarter-acre patches of paradise starting in the 1960s, the potential buyers were always put up at the Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort.
The resort remains the only choice for lodging in Lehigh, but its history could come to a close as early as next year, when owner Greentree Resorts plans to tear it down to make way for new commercial space or a new hotel, managing member Brian Owens said.
“Those buildings have seen their day,” Owens said.
The group took control of three local golf courses and the area’s only hotel last year, when Owens also announced plans to build a new hotel away from the Admiral Lehigh.
Greentree has been making improvements at the courses, and plans to begin construction in the fall on the new hotel, which will accommodate golf tourists and other visitors.
“We should have the structure completed by mid-summer next year,” Owens said.
The four-story, 75-room hotel will also feature 10,000 square feet of office space and a 5,000-square-foot restaurant, he said.
Owens said the development order for the hotel came through Wednesday and he hopes to begin construction in October, holding off until after the busiest part of hurricane season.
“It doesn’t make sense to start construction during that,” he said.
Once the new hotel is built, Owens said, Greentree plans to tear down the 131-room Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort.
The golf resort, which is located at Lehigh’s oldest golf course, is already operating with only some of its rooms because others haven’t been maintained well, Owens said.
He said the group doesn’t have firm plans yet for what will be built in the hotel’s place, but he would like to address the area’s need for more commercial space.
“If there’s a need, we’ll build another hotel,” Owens said.
The new hotel, a Microtel Inn & Suites franchise, will be built at Plaza Drive and Business Way near the Lehigh Senior Center.
Greentree Resorts hopes to use the hotel and its three golf courses — Admiral Lehigh, Mirror Lakes and Majestic — to lure golf tourists to Lehigh.
Oliver B. Conover, executive director of the Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, said Greentree’s work could be at the head of big changes for Lehigh.
He said increased tourism should bolster Lehigh’s identity as a golf destination and fuel commercial growth.
“Then we will start to attract our restaurants and the other businesses that we need,” Conover said. “It is definitely going to have a positive impact on the community.”
Greentree has been working to spruce up the golf courses, Owens said, and has created membership programs to play at all three courses and centralized tee-time booking.
Owens said the group is still working on plans for condos and other additions at the Admiral Lehigh course.
Those plans have raised concerns from some residents who fear new buildings could block their golf course views or lower property values.
Nino Pender said he and others who live along the course formed the Admiral Lehigh/Golfview Estates Homeowners Association to promote their position that any new additions shouldn’t negatively affect current residents.
“We know they plan to build some condos and some apartments,” Ponder said.
Owens said the group hasn’t come to any decisions on what kind of projects will go in at the Admiral Lehigh course.
He said when they do, the plans will be submitted to the homeowners association and the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corp. for their blessings before they are given to the county for final approval.
“We don’t want to move forward without the community behind us,” Owens said.
It should be of some interest to some of you, as we read it that the t/s part will go too, in the near future.
Greetree to replace Admiral Lehigh resort
By Justin St. Clair
jstclair@news-press.com
Originally posted on June 30, 2006
When developers brought northerners to Lehigh Acres to entice them with affordable quarter-acre patches of paradise starting in the 1960s, the potential buyers were always put up at the Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort.
The resort remains the only choice for lodging in Lehigh, but its history could come to a close as early as next year, when owner Greentree Resorts plans to tear it down to make way for new commercial space or a new hotel, managing member Brian Owens said.
“Those buildings have seen their day,” Owens said.
The group took control of three local golf courses and the area’s only hotel last year, when Owens also announced plans to build a new hotel away from the Admiral Lehigh.
Greentree has been making improvements at the courses, and plans to begin construction in the fall on the new hotel, which will accommodate golf tourists and other visitors.
“We should have the structure completed by mid-summer next year,” Owens said.
The four-story, 75-room hotel will also feature 10,000 square feet of office space and a 5,000-square-foot restaurant, he said.
Owens said the development order for the hotel came through Wednesday and he hopes to begin construction in October, holding off until after the busiest part of hurricane season.
“It doesn’t make sense to start construction during that,” he said.
Once the new hotel is built, Owens said, Greentree plans to tear down the 131-room Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort.
The golf resort, which is located at Lehigh’s oldest golf course, is already operating with only some of its rooms because others haven’t been maintained well, Owens said.
He said the group doesn’t have firm plans yet for what will be built in the hotel’s place, but he would like to address the area’s need for more commercial space.
“If there’s a need, we’ll build another hotel,” Owens said.
The new hotel, a Microtel Inn & Suites franchise, will be built at Plaza Drive and Business Way near the Lehigh Senior Center.
Greentree Resorts hopes to use the hotel and its three golf courses — Admiral Lehigh, Mirror Lakes and Majestic — to lure golf tourists to Lehigh.
Oliver B. Conover, executive director of the Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, said Greentree’s work could be at the head of big changes for Lehigh.
He said increased tourism should bolster Lehigh’s identity as a golf destination and fuel commercial growth.
“Then we will start to attract our restaurants and the other businesses that we need,” Conover said. “It is definitely going to have a positive impact on the community.”
Greentree has been working to spruce up the golf courses, Owens said, and has created membership programs to play at all three courses and centralized tee-time booking.
Owens said the group is still working on plans for condos and other additions at the Admiral Lehigh course.
Those plans have raised concerns from some residents who fear new buildings could block their golf course views or lower property values.
Nino Pender said he and others who live along the course formed the Admiral Lehigh/Golfview Estates Homeowners Association to promote their position that any new additions shouldn’t negatively affect current residents.
“We know they plan to build some condos and some apartments,” Ponder said.
Owens said the group hasn’t come to any decisions on what kind of projects will go in at the Admiral Lehigh course.
He said when they do, the plans will be submitted to the homeowners association and the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corp. for their blessings before they are given to the county for final approval.
“We don’t want to move forward without the community behind us,” Owens said.
John