Roushdi's Amate Corp. wants to build an estimated $25 million, 14,000-sf, 40-cabin corporate retreat on 800 acres in Wahoo, FL, a hamlet so small it is even on the map yet. The location on County Road 48 is about five miles north Bushnell, FL and about 50 miles northwest of Downtown Orlando.
Besides the corporate cabins, the hideaway would offer at least one Olympic-size swimming pool, fitness centers and hiking trails, according to the conceptual plans filed with county planners.
Roushdi's initial estimate of the development cost to county commissioners is at least $5 million. He couldn't be reached by GlobeSt.com at publication deadline to learn more details of the project.
County officials have approved the project. But local residents and properlty owners tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity they will be suing the county in Sumter Circuit Court for allegedly violating its own comprehensive development-use plan.
Property owners says the 800 acres are zoned for agricultural use and should not have been changed to special use by the county to allow Roushdi's proposed project.
Developers from around the state are scouting rural areas such as Sumter, Lake and Marion counties in Central Florida as well as North Florida and Panhandle sites near the Alabama border because of lower land prices compared with larger counties in more urbanized locations.
Prices of $10,000 to $20,000 per acre (23 cents to 46 cents per sf) for agriculture-zoned land that could be rezoned later to commercial/retail are not uncommon in these areas today, area brokers tell GlobeSt.com.
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