First Fox Lake hotel approved
The plans for the first hotel in Fox Lake have been approved and are ready to go.
Fox Lake officials shook hands and slapped backs following Tuesday's meeting after the preliminary plans for the proposed Holiday Inn Express was approved for construction on Route 12.
The 84-room hotel, which features a state-of-the-art In-Play game room, bar, and 450-seat banquet room, is slated to be completed in 2009.
The project should break ground starting with construction of a boat showroom and storage area in early May.
Permits for construction of the project are expected to be completed on April 23.
"It's been a long five years to get to this point," said Noel Working, head of the village board's zoning board. "We're happy this is finally moving forward."
This is the second developer to try and construct a hotel in the previous five years after the village board called the 18-acre parcel of land at the corner of Route 12 and Eagle Point Road blighted and declared it a special taxing district. The special district opened the door for development of the parcel.
However, the previous developer pulled out of the project after the tax district was declared, opening the door for current developer -- Fox Lake Lifestyle Group -- to move in and purchase the property.
Michael Stessman, head of the development group, said plans are to break ground on the hotel on June 1, with construction of the game room and banquet hall beginning Sept. 1.
"The key to development is patience and perseverance," he said. "It's a hard process to get a $40 million project like this approved and moving forward, but I'm happy to finally get to this point."
Only official paperwork stands in the way of getting construction of the building off the ground.
"It's great to finally get things moving forward," said Trustee Ed Bender. "It's been five long years to make this happen and now we are ready to go."
Fox Lake officials will still have to review final development plans before construction permits will be issued.