The proposed Wilton Hotel & Pool Club has taken a key step to becoming reality. During the city commission meeting on May 14, the panel voted unanimously to approve final changes to the plans and cleared the way for developers to proceed.

However, this is far from the end of the story.

Now the developers will go before the county and apply for permits. While not a pro forma action, it is unusual for permits to derail a project at this point in the process. From the Development Review Committee to the Planning and Zoning Board to the city commission, Wilton Manors officials have spent more than a year scrutinizing everything from height (eight floors) to parking (100% valet) and everything in between.

The hotel will be on Dixie Highway by Five Points, where the mortuary sits. Some worry about backups on the road. In the middle of an average workday, it only takes seven cars to back up to the site during a light cycle.

When long, slow moving freight trains roll through, it could take several cycles before traffic clears, impeding ingress to the hotel.

Commissioners have been generally positive of the project throughout the process, and their constituents have mirrored their optimism. An online poll conducted by OutSFL in December showed 63% in favor.

If all goes as smoothly, it’s possible there could be a groundbreaking sometime this autumn. Each stage of construction will require inspections, and any adjustments would take time. Experts on these matters say a grand opening in 2027 is a reasonable expectation.

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