The lengthy, convoluted quest to find a developer for a Palm Beach
County convention center hotel took another turn this week when a
court-appointed special master said county officials had unfairly
rejected bids from two of five contractors seeking the work. The
Related Companies and another group, Acquest Realty Advisors of
Michigan, had been approved for bids, but special master Robert Rosillo
said the county had given Related an unfair advantage. He ordered that
FRI Investors and Rose Development, both of West Palm Beach, be
returned to the bidding, and added that the fifth remaining bidder,
Grove Street Partners of Atlanta should be reinstated as well. [Palm
Beach Post]

The officials behind Palm Beach County Convention Center’s current developmental phase haven’t found scandal so much as scorn. Three of five development groups rejected from the bidding process filed protests saying the county showed an “arbitrary and capricious” tone when it dismissed their bids for the business. FRI Investors of West Palm Beach, Grove Street Partners of Atlanta and Rose Development of Michigan all wrote letters dated Sept. 18 saying county officials didn’t know how to evaluate the prospective builders. “Procuring a hotel developer is different than procuring a copy machine,” Grove Street Partners’ James Stormont wrote. Shannon LaRocque-Baas, assistant county administrator, said a hearing could be held on the issue in November.

The Palm Beach County Convention Center hotel attracted two serious
contenders for the work after five developers submitted paperwork to
county staff, which rejected three bidders. One possible development
group includes the Related Companies of New York. Acquest Realty
Advisors of Michigan is the other contender. The rejected trio, which
includes a group consisting of real estate developer Llywd Ecclestone
Jr., FRI Investors of West Palm Beach and Westin Hotels, will have
until Sept. 18 to protest the decision. [more]

The contract for Palm Beach County’s convention center hotel has drawn
a quintet of bidders. The Related Companies said it would team up with
Hilton Hotels and Palm Beach Gardens-based Catafulmo Development for
the project. West Palm Beach-based FRI Investors, National Investment
Co. and Weston Hotels & Resorts also submitted a proposal. Other
potential developers include Grove Street Partners, an Atlanta-based
development company, Acquest Realty Advisors, based in Michigan, and
Garfield Traub Development, a Texas-based company. County staff will
make a recommendation to the full commission on November 3. [more]