Nov. 10--The Jekyll Island Authority board heard a range of news at its monthly meeting Monday: bad, in progress and good.

The bad: Hotel operations at the state park have lost millions of dollars.

In progress: Island residents will have to wait another month for a decision about property lease options.

The good: The day is almost here when work will begin in earnest on the redevelopment of the island.

Hotel revenue on Jekyll Island is down $3.1 million compared to 2008, the authority was told.

Total revenue to the authority, however, is down by only 2 percent, or $141,000 below the revenue for the same period last year, July 1 through Oct. 31.

One area in which finances are looking up is at the toll booth. That is because the daily entrance fee was raised to $5 from $3. For the fiscal year that runs through June 30, the parking fee collection is up 41 percent, or $217,000.

The finance committee recommended Monday to defer a vote on new residential leases.

Mike Hodges, committee chair, said more work has been done on the leases and that the committee would like to study the proposals before making a recommendation to the full board.

"Since no member of the committee has had time to review the information, I recommend that we not act on the residential lease today," Hodges said. "We first need to have time to digest the information."

The board said a decision will be made at its next meeting, Dec. 14. Lease options for people who lease land on which they have built houses in the park will be finalized by the end of December and residents will be able to choose which option they want, beginning in January.

Implementation will be Jan. 1, 2011. If residents don't choose an option by then, rates will be raised.

Mike Chatham, HHCP design team leader for the island's revitalization project, gave a presentation on the upcoming projects and timetables.

Great Dunes Park, at the north end of the beach, will include shelters, rest rooms, grills and public pavilions.

"The ground breaking will be Dec. 7, and we're looking to have the project completed by May 2010," Chatham said.

Another part of the revitalization plan is the Morgan Building in the historic district. It will be converted into a multi-function space to serve as a temporary convention center when the current one is razed and a new one constructed.

"We will be adding a kitchen addition for food service to operate and two large event tents, as well as smaller ones for breakout rooms," Chatham said.

He said there will be 242 parking spaces, rest room facilities and a balcony with an elevator.

Early foundation construction is expected to begin in December and be finished by June.

Construction for the permanent convention center will not be completed until December 2011 and could possibly be ready to open Jan. 1, 2012.

"The convention center will have multiple uses," Chatham said. "We want to keep shows in Georgia that might otherwise leave the area."

He said there will be 45,000 square feet of ballroom and exhibit hall space which can be used in its entirety or divided into two, three, four or five separate spaces.

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