Chuck Whittall’s Unicorp to develop 2 upscale hotels at I-Drive Wyndham site, sources say
Unicorp National Developments will put a Kimpton hotel alongside an InterContinental hotel at the International Drive site where Wyndham Orlando Resort recently ceased operations, two sources with knowledge of the deal told Orlando Business Journal.
OBJ recently reported InterContinental Hotels & Resorts — part of the Luxury & Lifestyle Collection portfolio of Denham, United Kingdom-based IHG Hotels & Resorts — will open a location on International Drive. An Aug. 20 news release from IHG confirmed that reporting, formally announcing the InterContinental Orlando will be developed on International Drive, though it did not specify an address.
The 700-guest room and 84-suite property, set to open in 2028, will feature amenities including five restaurant and bar concepts, a 15,000-square-foot spa and wellness center, a pool, fitness center and 106,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
OBJ has learned the InterContinental hotel will be one component of Unicorp’s mixed-use redevelopment of the property at 8001 International Drive. Further, sources with knowledge of the deal said a Kimpton Resorts & Hotels outpost — another one of IHG’s luxury brands — also will be built on the site.
Unicorp President Chuck Whittall confirmed plans for the InterContinental Orlando to OBJ, but did not elaborate further or address the reported Kimpton deal.
News Bureau Manager Pearl Madu of IHG Hotels & Resorts responded to OBJ‘s inquiry with an email saying, “IHG is continuously in discussions with various parties about many different projects.”
Apopka-based Finfrock Construction LLC is slated to be the general contractor for the 8001 International Drive project.
Finfrock President Bill Finfrock in June confirmed his company is slated to be the design/build general contractor. “We’ve worked with Chuck dozens of times over the years so we have a really good working relationship with him, and I look forward to another successful project of his.”
While appearing on an OBJ podcast, Whittall confirmed a new hotel partnership is in the works, though he wasn’t prepared to reveal with which hotel brands. He said Unicorp is “going to build a very dense, pretty spectacular development, and we’re in the process of drawing those plans as we speak.”
Meanwhile, IHG on Aug. 7 announced another Kimpton project to be built in Central Florida — this one in downtown Orlando, next to Kia Center within Machete Group and JMA Ventures’ Westcourt mixed-use project.
The downtown hotel will have 261 rooms spread over 11 stories, 16,000-plus square feet of meeting space, a full-service restaurant, lobby bar, cafe, pool, pool bar and pool lounge.