Unicorp’s Chuck Whittall names contractor for I-Drive Wyndham site

Unicorp National Developments President Chuck Whittall confirmed to Orlando Business Journal that Finfrock Construction LLC is slated to be the general contractor for a soon-to-be-announced project at 8001 International Dr.
“Right now, we expect [Finfrock] to be the developer,” said Whittall.
Wyndham Orlando Resort will wrap up operations at that address in July, and Whittall has said Unicorp has “big, big plans on the horizon.”
During an OBJ podcast, Whittall said a new hotel partnership is in the works and while he wasn’t prepared to reveal which hotel brand, the company is “going to build a very dense, pretty spectacular development, and we’re in the process of drawing those plans as we speak.”
Finfrock President Bill Finfrock confirmed the firm 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.”
Finfrock has shown itself to be adept in the hospitality space, building Hyatt House Naples/5th Avenue, which opened in March 2015. Finfrock continues to operate the hotel.
“That gives us kind of an advantage as a design-builder to really understand the ultimate goal of how you operate these properties and what their needs are,” said Finfrock.
Finfrock already has hotel chops close to where Whittall’s new project will go. The Apopka-based firm was contractor for Universal’s Endless Summer Resort. OBJ reported Finfrock as the contractor for Universal’s Stella Nova Resort and Universal’s Terra Luna Resort. And while Finfrock hasn’t confirmed his company will build the forthcoming Tao Hotel and Tao Asian Bistro restaurant, another source says it’s so.
“The Unicorp/Finfrock relationship has already changed the Orlando skyline with the new Marriott Vacation Club headquarters and Tao Hotel at the $1 billion-plus O-Town West project,” said International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce board member and Mango’s Tropical Cafe Chief Operating Officer Josh Wallack. “When you look at it heuristically, we are looking at the premiere hotel development construction company/design-builder in the market. [The Wyndham] site [has] unlimited potential. It’s so close to Epic Universe and all the restaurants and vibrancy of the I-Drive entertainment district.”