OLDSMAR â Prior to being elected in March 2019, Oldsmar Mayor Eric Seidel said the development of the downtown district was his top priority. When the City Council agreed to allow a local developer to build a boutique hotel, complete with rooftop bar and parking garage, on a portion of the 10-acre parcel adjacent to City Hall in May 2019, it appeared his campaign promise would soon become a reality.
But issues with the Simone Development Group arose from the start as the local, family-owned hotel builders presented preliminary plans that did not include the rooftop bar, something the council stressed was a priority for the project. According to officials, things went downhill from there, leading Seidel to issue an ultimatum to Simone late last year.