Celebration can add 500 hotel rooms
September 10, 2002
KISSIMMEE, FL (Orlando Sentinel) -- Both sides declared victory Monday night when Osceola County commissioners agreed to give the Disney-planned town of Celebration the OK for more hotel rooms, but not as many as the company had wanted.
Many residents had opposed plans from the Celebration Co., a Disney development arm, to increase the number of hotel rooms from 1,039 to 2,039, saying the change would lower property values in a community whose average home is $300,000 and lure tourists to the small community in the northwest part of the county.
Celebration officials said they need the extra rooms, as well as 150 timeshare units, to increase space for business travelers and also develop a proposed Four Seasons luxury resort.
Commissioners agreed with both sides after 31/2 hours of debate and discussion.
By a unanimous vote, the commissioners approved 500 more hotel rooms, instead of 1,000.
Opponents of the larger plan hailed the decrease as a win because their proposal for compromise was to allow the 450 rooms needed for a Four Seasons.
Celebration officials said they will move ahead with that project and will also be able to do some of the other projects.
September 10, 2002
KISSIMMEE, FL (Orlando Sentinel) -- Both sides declared victory Monday night when Osceola County commissioners agreed to give the Disney-planned town of Celebration the OK for more hotel rooms, but not as many as the company had wanted.
Many residents had opposed plans from the Celebration Co., a Disney development arm, to increase the number of hotel rooms from 1,039 to 2,039, saying the change would lower property values in a community whose average home is $300,000 and lure tourists to the small community in the northwest part of the county.
Celebration officials said they need the extra rooms, as well as 150 timeshare units, to increase space for business travelers and also develop a proposed Four Seasons luxury resort.
Commissioners agreed with both sides after 31/2 hours of debate and discussion.
By a unanimous vote, the commissioners approved 500 more hotel rooms, instead of 1,000.
Opponents of the larger plan hailed the decrease as a win because their proposal for compromise was to allow the 450 rooms needed for a Four Seasons.
Celebration officials said they will move ahead with that project and will also be able to do some of the other projects.