Village: Rumors of hotel deal's death are greatly exaggerated

Fox Lake officials said there is no truth to a rumor that the planned hotel development on Route 12, on the shores of Pistakee Lake, is dead in the water.

Trustee Ed Bender said he has met with hotel developers this week, and while construction has been pushed back, the project is on track to be finished by next summer, he said.

"I have been assured by the developers, the financial people and everyone else involved in the project that things are moving forward," he said. "The delays are being resolved quickly, and things are moving ahead."

He would not go into detail about what has caused the delays.

Bender said Holiday Inn would be the management agency of the 80-room hotel, located on 16 acres just south of Eagle Point Road.

Bender said developers are hoping to begin construction by June 1 to ensure the hotel will be open by the summer of 2009.

He added construction on the 450-seat banquet hall and the large In-Play game center should begin by Sept. 1.

Bender added developers are still deciding whether to sell 5 acres of Route 12 property to a new commercial developer for additional storefronts.

"We had everyone involved in the meeting, including the mayor," he said. "So, there was a delay, but things seem to be moving along good."

Mayor Cindy Irwin said she was happy with the meeting and is glad things are moving forward.

"It was a great meeting. We had a number of concerns and they answered them," she said. "Everything is definitely moving forward."