Plans for The Sheraton at the Petaluma Marina are in part a reaction to a 1999 study that indicated additional convention space was needed in southern Sonoma County. The approximately $26 million project includes 9,000 sf of convention space and an 80-seat restaurant.

The developer also is considering installing a co-generation power supply run by natural gas and the heat produced by the hotel's laundry, according to one report from Jim Burchill of the Lok Group.

The City of Petaluma is helping finance the Sheraton project through a revenue sharing plan as part of the revitalization of the marina area. The hotel site is within a city redevelopment district, which means the city will collect most of the increased property tax the completed project will generate. Property tax increases and hotel bed taxes could amount to an additional $8 million in revenues for the city over the next 10 years.