County Approves 400-Room Hotel Deal in West Palm
Palm Beach County commissioners voted 6-1 to approve a hotel agreement with Related Ross for a proposed 18-story, 400-room hotel.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Hospitality
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Palm Beach County commissioners approved a hotel agreement with Related Ross by a 6-1 vote on Tuesday. The deal covers the county's purchase of about 1.8 acres at 940 S. Rosemary Ave. in West Palm Beach for $26 million.
Why it matters
Supporters say the added rooms could help the Convention Center compete for larger events, and Discover The Palm Beaches says the county is losing convention business because it lacks enough hotel rooms. The county would also receive lease payments and a share of hotel revenue for West Palm Beach residents.
The county approved a 6-1 vote, with Commissioner Gregg Weiss dissenting, and the agreement sets a 33-year lease with options to renew for another 33 and then 31 years. Operators would pay a combined $5.1 million in upfront parking payments for 335 spaces at the proposed hotel and 255 at the existing hotel.
The players
Related Ross
A real estate development firm whose affiliate would finance, build, and operate the proposed hotel under the lease agreement.
Discover The Palm Beaches
The county's tourism marketing organization, which promotes convention and visitor business for Palm Beach County.
Gregg Weiss
A Palm Beach County commissioner who cast the lone dissenting vote against the hotel agreement.
The details
A Related Ross affiliate would finance and build the 18-story hotel, then lease it from the county and operate it. The county would receive 6% of annual hotel revenue above $77 million, a threshold that rises 3% each year, and the vote replaced agreements approved Sept. 29 and signed by the mayor Oct. 1.
Timeline
Sept. 29: Commissioners approved earlier hotel agreements that were later replaced.
Oct. 1: The mayor signed the earlier hotel agreements.
Tuesday, Nov. 10: Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve the Related Ross agreement.
Market Landscape
The vote reauthorizes a deal that replaces agreements approved Sept. 29 and signed Oct. 1, showing the county reworking its terms before construction. The project aims to add rooms that could increase convention center business by 62%, positioning the county to compete for larger events.
For visitors and convention attendees, the project aims to add hotel capacity near the Convention Center, which could affect room availability and event planning in the area. The county's lease and parking arrangements would shape how the garage is shared between the new and existing hotels.
The takeaway
County hotel deals now depend on long-term lease structures and revenue sharing, so the terms of agreements like this one can matter as much as the headline vote.
Further reading
For more on the local lodging market, see Hospitality coverage for West Palm Beach.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPEC.
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