New Four Seasons Hotel (with golf) in Orlando

[Joel_Stewart]

This news release came out recently and I took the time today to write a letter to Isadore Sharp the CEO of Four Seasons encouraging him to "think outside of the box" in hiring a golf architect for this new resort.  Four Seasons Hotels really does it right, but my bet is they will hire Fazio or Nicklaus to build a slug of a course.  

If anyone would help its:

Isadore Sharp - CEO
Four Seasons Hotels
1165 Leslie Street
Toranto, ON Canada
M3C 2K8


Celebration FL -- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's leading operators of luxury hotels, has purchased approximately 400 acres in Celebration. Plans for the multi-use resort include a 425-room luxury hotel, 18-hole championship golf course, an exclusive enclave of single-family homes and a fractional ownership Four Seasons Residence Club.

"We believe Four Seasons’ reputation for quality, character and outstanding service will complement the Celebration community,” said Perry Reader, President of The Celebration Company. “This Four Seasons project will contribute significant value to Central Florida, bringing additional commercial and home construction and unique luxury accommodations that will add to the area’s real estate tax base and contribute to local resort and sales tax collections.”

 

The site, approximately one mile south of World Drive on Celebration Boulevard, offers an exceptional location that will provide Four Seasons both seclusion and proximity to Walt Disney World Resort® and other nearby attractions.  Earlier this year, the Osceola County Commission approved changes to the Celebration master plan, enabling the project to move forward.  Still in the early planning stages, a date for construction has not yet been determined.  

"The Orlando area is an excellent destination, and we have been looking for the right opportunity and partner there for some time," said Isadore Sharp, chairman and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.  "The resort project will be a valuable addition to our portfolio, particularly because we can also offer the Four Seasons lifestyle through the Residence Club and homes that are part of the project."

 

[Keith Williams]

Celebration already has a course by RTJ Jr.  Maybe they will
change things up a little for variety with the new one being in
the same vicinity.

[John_Conley]

You may be surprised.  2003 has some high profile openings around South Orlando.  The courses at Reunion, just S of this site, are by Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson.  The Ritz-Carlton is from Greg Norman.  But!  The SHINGLE CREEK course is designed by "Gotha-based architect David Harman" according to our paper.  (That's Gotha, not Gotham.)

Harman did the two courses at Orange County National.

Shingle Creek is a very high profile project from Harris Rosen, the most prolific area hotelier.

[Walt Disney]

John,

Harris Rosen, the most prolific hotelier in the area, eh?

My little mouse friend and I might have something to say
about that!

[Joel_Stewart]

Just to follow up, I received a short letter back from the CEO and founder today, Isadore Sharp who said they will consider many different options when building the golf course.  I really believe if a few other wrote letters discussing classical architecture it might help.

I noticed Bill Gates took a 9% stake in Four Seasons Hotels the other day.  Its traded on the NYSE, symbol FS.

[John Bernhardt]

Rosen is a major player in the Orlando market but I would not put him in the category John did. John what is the word on the Norman course for it is by my gf's house and looks so very florida like from the outside.

[John_Conley]

I've lived here 10 years and can name two hotel guys.  Most can name just one, and that is Harris Rosen.  He is the most influential of all the I-Drive guys and the biggest voice in the CFHMA (Hotel/Motel).

If someone is more significant, let me know who.  David Siegel is huge, but that's in the world of timeshare - which we generally look at as a different field.

Anyway, as far as the Ritz course already planned, it will be open this summer.  It will enter at the absolute high-end pricewise.  I know a guy involved that may show me the course soon and I will let you know.

[Joel_Stewart]

It took 8 years since their original announcement and my have things changed.  Four Seasons is now a private company, the CEO has retired and the original piece of property they wanted is gone.

As a result, Four Seasons will build it's largest hotel in Orlando and take over the Tom Fazio Osprey Ridge golf course.  Article below:




It's not so small a world for the Four Seasons. The luxury hotel company just announced plans to open the world's largest Four Seasons resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando in 2014.

The $360 million luxury resort will be located inside the theme park, giving travelers a high-end hotel option without all the Disney-themed amenities and adornments. But, that doesn't mean the hotel won't have a little fun (this is Disney World, after all).

According to the Four Seasons, the new Disney digs will include 444-rooms, as well as several dining venues, including a rooftop restaurant with Magic Kingdom views. Travelers looking for a little peace from all the Disney antics can seek refuge the 14,000 square foot spa, complete with 18 treatment rooms and a full fitness center. Families will enjoy the three pools and a “lazy river”, tennis and basketball courts, a climbing wall, and two recreational centers for children, teens and families. The development takes over the existing Tom Fazio-designed Osprey Ridge 18-hole championship golf course, which will be renovated and subsequently managed by Four Seasons.

So just how much will a stay at the Four Seasons Disney World resort cost? The room rates haven't been announced yet, but Barbara De Lollis at USA Today's Hotel Check-In estimates rooms could easily run upwards of $600, especially if the travel industry continues on its rebound from the recession. Rooms at Disney's highest-end hotel, the Grand Floridian, currently cost between $440 to $2,185 a night, according to its website.

Four Seasons and developer Silverstein Properties announced it will break ground on the project in December for a planned opening in 2014.

[Eric Smith]

I was looking at Disney via Google Earth and it looks like the hotel is going on the land that was formerly part of their Pete Dye course?

[Brad Tufts]

Interesting...I thought "ground was broken" years ago, as I don't think Eagle Pines has been open for a while...I played it back in 04 or so.

[Jud_T]

Joel,

Pretty funny that you had the call on Fazio back then, you just didn't realize the circuitous path to get there!

[Joel_Stewart]

I was looking at Disney via Google Earth and it looks like the hotel is going on the land that was formerly part of their Pete Dye course?

You're correct, Eagle Pines has been closed and was slated for development.



The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) and Arnold Palmer Golf Management have signed a 20-year agreement to have the King’s company mange and promote Walt Disney World’s five golf courses located at the suburban Orlando, Fla. resort. Disney’s deal with Palmer takes the Mouse completely out of the very competitive centralFloridagolf market substituting an ongoing lease payment from Palmer Golf.

Disney has had a long standing business strategy of leasing hotel, restaurant and concession locations to outside companies. As part of the lease agreements lessees are contractually required to provide services and products meeting standards set by Disney.

As part of the new deal over the next two years Palmer and his course architects will take on a renovation of the Disney’s Palm course.

Arnold Palmer Golf Management, based in Addison, Texas, is owned by Century Golf Partners and the Disney courses will be added to the 70 private clubs in its portfolio. They will be promoted within the Palmer Golf network with a website and in the “Kingdom Magazine” published by the company.

Walt Disney World, which attracts about 50 million visitors per year, has been pulling back from operating golf courses at the resort since it became apparent there were too many courses and too few golfers in the Orlando area. The first move in implementing that policy was back in 2007 the well regarded Eagle Pines course (Pete Dye 1992) was closed. The land is now a residential development that upon build-out will have 450 multiple-million dollar homes.

[David Kelly]

The land is now a residential development that upon build-out will have 450 multiple-million dollar homes.

I bet it doesn't.

[Joel_Stewart]

I learned two things today. Arnold Palmer doesn't own Arnold Palmer golf management company and two, the Four Seasons does manage their own golf courses.  I guess I'm surprised that AP would give up or turn over Osprey Ridge???   I'm not sure if Four Seasons will make any changes to Osprey Ridge, but I'm sure Tom Fazio has some ideas.