The Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved a search for a new lessee for the former Country Club Condominium Hotel.
The current lessee, OceanFront 121, informed the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Land Division last month that it will surrender its month-to-month lease for the property at the end of 2022.
Rather than allow management of the 152-unit property to revert to the DLNR — something for which Assistant Land Division Administrator Kevin Moore said the department lacks sufficient resources and personnel — the BLNR voted at a meeting Friday to permit the Land Division to solicit proposals from other prospective lessees.
Prospective lessees will have to submit detailed plans for extensive improvements to the aged building and demonstrate they have the financial resources to do the work. The lessee could be granted a lease of up to 65 years.
Moore said the Land Division hopes to carry out the transfer of the lease in such a way as to minimize impact to current tenants, and expects “a handful” of applicants. The BLNR will have final decision-making power over which applicant is selected.
The BLNR voted unanimously to open the request for proposal process with little discussion.