Coral Springs seeks developer for proposed 225-room hotel with rooftop bar and water attractions at the Sportsplex
Coral Springs, Florida – A new hotel could become part of the Coral Springs Sportsplex, giving athletes, tournament families and other visitors a place to stay just steps from the city’s major sports facilities.
Coral Springs officials are now looking for a developer to take on the project. The city issued a request for letters of interest Monday, asking companies to submit proposals to design, build and operate the planned hotel. Submissions must be received by 2 p.m. Oct. 21.
The proposal is still in its early stages, and many details have yet to be finalized. City officials are planning community meetings where residents can learn more about the idea, look at preliminary plans and ask questions.
The first meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 26 in the Aquatic Complex Wood Room. Another meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Coral Springs Gymnasium. Residents who want to attend have been asked to sign up through the city.
The proposed hotel would be built on a vacant 4.5-acre property at the southeast corner of Sportsplex Drive and Sample Road. The site is within the existing Sportsplex complex, which already includes the Coral Springs Aquatics Center and the Panther’s Ice Den indoor rink.
According to city documents, the hotel would have at least 225 rooms and would stand between three and five stories tall.
One of the more unusual parts of the proposal is its focus on athletes and families. Some of the rooms would be designed for people staying in Coral Springs for longer periods because of tournaments, training programs or other sports-related activities.
The hotel would also include several features aimed at making it more than just a place to sleep. Plans call for a splash pad, several water slides and private cabanas. A rooftop bar is also proposed, with views toward the Everglades.
The city would not sell the property under the proposed arrangement. Instead, the selected developer would lease the land from Coral Springs for 50 years.
The city would retain ownership of the property and would receive rent or potentially a portion of the hotel’s revenue. However, those financial terms are not final. They would be negotiated with the developer selected by the city.
The proposed hotel comes as Coral Springs is considering several major improvements to the Sportsplex area.
The city is working on plans for a $100 million gymnasium that would include 12 basketball courts, along with renovated pools at the aquatics complex. Coral Springs awarded a design contract for the project to PBK Architects in June.
City officials are also looking at other ways to help pay for or support the larger Sportsplex plans. In July, city leaders asked Sports Facilities Companies, which has been advising the city on the Sportsplex plans, to explore possible naming rights and sponsorship opportunities.
At the same time, officials are watching a Nov. 3 homestead property tax referendum that could have a major effect on city finances. If approved, the measure could result in the city losing tens of millions of dollars in property tax revenue.
City Manager Catherine Givens has previously told commissioners that the city was looking for an outside investor who could help cover the cost of the planned improvements. It is not clear whether the proposed hotel is part of that search for outside funding.
For now, the city is concentrating on finding a developer capable of taking the hotel from an early proposal to a finished project.
After the letters of interest are submitted, city officials will review the responses and negotiate with a developer they select. Any final agreement would then have to be presented to the Coral Springs City Commission for a vote.
There is currently no construction schedule for the hotel, and the city has not announced a potential opening date.
If the project moves forward, the hotel would add a new commercial component to the Sportsplex and could provide lodging directly within a complex already built around sports and recreation. Its proposed amenities, including the water attractions and rooftop bar, would also give the development a broader appeal beyond athletes and tournament visitors.
For now, however, the project remains subject to the developer selection process, negotiations and approval by city commissioners.
