The City of Wilton Manors has given its
preliminary OK for a plan to build an all-male luxury hotel, gay
weekly South
Florida Blade reported.
City commissioners unanimously approved
the plan at its Tuesday, September 22 meeting.
The 172-unit hotel and timeshare
complex is being developed by G-Resorts, which is touting the
facility as a “luxury destination for the gay community.”
Wilton Manors, the “Island City,”
is neighbored by gay mecca Fort Lauderdale.
The property at 1224 N.E. 24th
Street is currently zoned industrial and houses a trailer park. The
city approved a measure to rezone the 6 acre site to a Planned Unit
Development.
“I've said it for 12 years that we
need a hotel property in the city,” said Wilton Manors Mayor Gary
Resnik. “It's a great amenity for any city. I really like the
idea. Timeshares can be a real plus for the community.”
Plans for the hotel include a spa,
wellness and fitness center, private sunbathing area, swimming pool,
hot tubs, secluded nature trail and a lazy river lagoon. The
facility – estimated to be worth $50-100 million – would also
boast up to 19,000 square feet of retail space.
Developer Michael Haley of Long Island,
New York is also behind Dolce Vita, a 35-unit oceanfront condominium
resort on Singer Island.