Cornelius neighbors to fight planned 14-story lakefront hotel

CORNELIUS, N.C. — A developer is trying to put a massive hotel in Cornelius. The hotel would be the first to sit on Lake Norman.

Channel 9 learned the Cornelius Pre-Development Review Committee heard plans for the hotel this week. The developer has not officially submitted the hotel to the planning board.

The proposed hotel would be on West Catawba Ave in Cornelius near Waterview Drive. Preliminary plans call for a 14-story hotel, convention center and beach. Lake Norman would be widened to the property.

Neighbors are fiercely opposed to the proposal. Many homes on Waterview Drive are new.

"I just can't envision it," John Yura, a homeowner, said.

The town's planning director calls the proposed hotel a game changer and says it would bring lots of money into Cornelius.

But the deal is far from approved. The developer still has to officially bring this to the planning board and there are a lot of hurdles that will need to be overcome. Duke will have to approve widening Lake Norman, Charlotte Water would need to be consulted and the entire area has to be rezoned.

But neighbors say it won't change Cornelius for the better.

"Everybody on this street and in the adjacent neighborhoods have expressed extreme dissatisfaction for it." Yura said. "We definitely want growth in the area but i don't think this is something that adds to the area."

Community meetings are being planned to rally support against the project.

Town leaders said they don't anticipate traffic being much of a problem because West Catawba Avenue will be widened in 2020.

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