Colony stakeholders to give update tonight

Stakeholders in the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort will give a status update to the Longboat Key Town Commission at tonight’s 7 p.m. regular meeting.

The commission extended a continuance of the town’s tourism abandonment requirement for the Colony to Dec. 31, 2012. Without the extension, the property could have lost 85 of the resort’s units by Aug. 15, 2011 — exactly one year after the resort closed — because they were built on the property before town code limited tourism units to six per acre. As a condition of the extension, the commission required a March status update.

Colony Beach & Tennis Resort Association Board Jay Yablon wrote in a letter to Town Manager David Bullock that the association will give a three-part presentation, beginning with comments from Yablon about why the board chose Club Holdings as its development partner. Club Holdings principal Glenn Miller will then speak about the redevelopment effort between now and when the resort opens for business. Scott Anderson, also of Club Holdings, will then speak about the rebuilt resort the parties envision.

Longtime Colony owner Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber wrote in a Feb. 29 letter to Bullock that he would like to “keep a foot in the door” and will possibly ask to speak after hearing the presentation.

Also at tonight’s meeting, the commission will hear a presentation from Sarasota County School Superintendent Lori White and Manatee County School Superintendent Tim McGonegal.

The meeting takes place at Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.

For more information, pick up a March 8 copy of the Longboat Observer.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].