Resort proposed for American Legion, Marina Park site

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- A developer has proposed building a 156-room luxury

hotel resort on the site where American Legion Post 291 and Marina Park

Mobile Home now stand.

The City Council will consider the proposal at a study session on Oct.

25.

The developer, Steve Sutherland of Sutherland Tala Hospitality, has

proposed building 18 Italian-style villas on the land. The resort, which

would produce an estimated $2.8 million in city revenue annually, would

also include a spa, restaurant, bar, meeting spaces, tennis courts and a

sailing club.

The leases on the land on the north side of Balboa Boulevard between 15th

and 18th streets, which also includes the Neva B. Thomas Scout House,

expire in March of 2000.

Sutherland could not be reached for comment.

The parcel has a long history. The city has owned the 6.59 acres since

1919. In 1972, the city’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission

recommended converting the mobile home park to public-service use, but

the city dismissed the suggestion and has granted a number of lease

extensions since. But suggestions to build a more public-friendly

development are, in fact, written into the lease, said City Manger Homer

Bludau.

However, in the past, similar development proposals have proved

controversial. Last year, for instance, scout troops grew upset after

reports surfaced that the Scout House might be torn down.

The new proposal, however, would allow the Scout House to remain where it

is. And, in order to alleviate potential backlash from the American

Legion, the proposal calls for $500,000 to be set aside to help it

relocate.

A separate concern remains about the location of the property, which may

lie within protected tidelands. The city sent a letter to the state Lands

Commission some time ago to determine whether the land is protected, but

have not yet received a reply, said City Attorney Bob Burnham.

The answer could force the relocation of the mobile homes. While a resort

is one of the allowable tideland uses, residential structures are not.

The proposal is a long way from completion, however. In order to see his

proposal come to fruition, Sutherland will have to go through a long and

time-consuming process, Bludau said. And that could take as long as two

years.