CLEARWATER - Assistant City Manager Garry Brumback announced to the City Council in August that NJR Development, the developer of the proposed Hyatt Aqualea on Clearwater Beach, would pay the required city fees and obtain construction permits "shortly after Labor Day."
Labor Day passed, the month of September passed, but no fees were paid nor permits pulled. The permit, which had been applied for on July 17th, 2005, languished into the month of October, the required fees still not paid.
But on October 5th, the city received a check for $2,466,572.50, including all of the permit and impact fees due and $1,171,101 for Aqualea's share of Beach Walk construction costs; Aqualea's construction permit was issued that day.
Aqualea's development agreement with the city requires construction to begin by year-end 2006. NJR Development has not announced their construction schedule, nor have they provided a date by which the hotel's planned 400 public parking spaces would be open.
The company and its spokesperson, David Hooks, were unresponsive to telephone calls questioning the construction timetable.