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Lake Lanier Islands to get $200-million face lift

By By Jerry Gunn
Posted 8:38AM on Saturday 22nd April 2006 ( 19 years ago )
Lake Lanier Islands - The Gwinnett County businessman who bought the lease on Lake Lanier Islands announced a $200-million capital improvements plan Friday morning.

Virgil Williams, head of LLI Management Company, said a major part of that plan includes tearing down Pine Isle Hotel and replacing it with a new one plus three more.

"My best estimate now on a replacement Pine Isle four star hotel would be about 30 months, that's just my estimate at this time," Williams said.

"Right behind that, within probably 18 months, could be a village hotel or it could be a water park hotel."

Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau president Helen Fincher said that is good news but it has a flip side.

"The good news is that it's going to be a four star hotel and maybe the bad news in the short term is that it's going to take maybe three years to get it on line," Fincher said.

Williams' said his master plan, which includes a village with retail stores and restaurants and an enclosed water park, should be ready by early summer.

Williams also announced Coca Cola has reclaimed its position as the Islands soft drink vendor with an eight-year agreement to replace Pepsi.

Morris Franklin with Coca-Cola said the drink machines were already in place.

"We think we can double the current business that we do with Lake Lanier Islands from now over the next five years," Franklin said.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/4/111956

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