April 23–An attempt to place a 50-room hotel in the Gulf of Mexico could pick up pace in coming months, Oceana Water Resort developer Doug Pope says.
“The project is absolutely alive,” Pope said. “We’re still very optimistic.”
Lack of financing has stalled the estimated $20 million construction for about two years, he said.
“Our finance partner just told me that funding could be imminent,” Pope said. “But if it doesn’t come through, we’re prepared to start seeking investors for more traditional funding.”
Pope’s Elevated Waters Resorts firm in Middleburg was told to expect money last year, “but all of a sudden, it did not come through,” he said.
Oceana is planned as a partially moveable structure that would stand six stories high over the Gulf of Mexico about 16 miles northwest of Key West.
The resort would be built on a 230-foot-by-128-foot platform, raised over the Gulf surface atop four semi-permanent pilings on pads resting on the sea floor, 55 to 60 feet down.
Pope compares the concept to a jack-up boat that lowers temporary pilings to remain in place.
“As one would expect on a project of this magnitude, there have been some changes but the basic design remains the same,” he said.
If registered as a boat, similar to the way offshore oil-drilling platforms are licensed, Oceana could be put into operation with relatively few restrictions, Pope contends.
Advisors to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary have expressed doubts about the ability to make Oceana as environmentally friendly as Pope wants.
Pope sees the resort as a getaway for avid fishermen who could rent boats at the resort after arriving on a shuttle boat from Key West.
