Water Island Hotel and Marina Lease Faces Calls for More Public Input, Stronger Protections and Review

A proposed hotel and marina development on Water Island drew calls for stronger public engagement, greater transparency and closer scrutiny of lease provisions during a lengthy Committee of the Whole hearing that functioned as a public forum on the project. The discussion centered on a request to amend a lease tied to government-owned land on Water Island. Residents, the developer and the Department of Property and Procurement all presented positions, while lawmakers repeatedly said the proposal needs additional review before the Legislature acts. At issue is an amended lease connected to a planned tourism development that would include a five-star resort, marina, spa, restaurants, branded residential units, workforce housing, a retail village and service facilities. Developers say the project could bring hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, jobs and tax revenue. Residents, however, raised concerns about the project’s scale, the sale of residential units, transparency, infr...