Ex-Colony Lender leader says he won’t vote on new resort issues

A candidate for Town Commission says he would recuse himself from any vote on the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort if he wins in March.

Candidate Randy Langley, running against incumbent Ed Zunz in District 5, formed Colony Lender LLC years ago with an associate and bought mortgages for portions of the property. Last summer, Unicorp paid Colony Lender $22 million for its interests in the property.

“For me to vote on it would be a lose-lose situation,” Langley said, describing how, if elected, he could be seen as prejudiced if he voted on Unicorp’s proposed development. “I would see it as a conflict of interest if I were to vote on it.”

See also: Former Colony stakeholder qualifies for Longboat election

Last year, the redevelopment plan for the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort was not only a campaign issue for candidates, it was on the ballot as a referendum question  rejected by town voters.

This year, no such referendum is on the ballot, but Unicorp National Developments Inc. President Chuck Whittall sees the new redevelopment plan again as an important issue in the commission campaign.

Whittall said he and his company have invested about $600,000 in planning for the development and is scheduled to appear at the Dec. 19 Planning and Zoning Board meeting. It could reach the Town Commission on Jan. 8 for its consideration.

Whittall’s redesigned development plans call for a 166-room hotel under the St. Regis banner and 102 residential units. On Sept. 1, the plans were reviewed and sent back for revisions by the town’s Development Review Committee.

The election is March 20.