Scaled-Back Hampton Inn Plans Approved For Clearwater Beach

A scaled-back version of plans to renovate one hotel and add a 14-floor Hampton Inn next to it was unanimously approved by city leaders Wednesday.

The Hampton Inn hotel planned near Clearwater Pass is a floor shorter and about 30,000 square feet smaller than one pitched to the City Council in February.

Developers also asked to use 56 fewer rooms from the city's Beach by Design density pool, which is an incentive to create denser development on certain parts of Clearwater Beach.

The existing Quality Inn, where the IHOP is, would be renovated, and the 14-floor Hampton Inn would be developed in the parking lot to create 171 rooms.

Leaders previously expressed concerns about the building's size and if there would be loud music as part of plans for a sixth floor bar area.

Amplified music would be allowed until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday under changes that will be added to the development agreement.

Developer Steve Page spent about $170,000 on plans for the site on South Clearwater Beach that were not approved by leaders last time. He pored another $50,000 on the amended plans for the 90-room hotel.

Construction of the moderately priced hotel, with rooms between $89-$169, is expected to start in January with a possible opening by spring break 2015.