Jackson Sought Hotel Investor

By Andre Briscoe, The Monterey County Herald, Calif.

Nov. 12–A development company headed by Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson was contacted earlier this year by former baseball slugger Reggie Jackson’s development group and invited to join in Jackson’s plans to build a 252-room hotel and conference center in Seaside.

Maryland-based RLJ Development LLC was in talks as early as May 25 with Amador Hotel 44 to create a joint venture to develope the Seaside Landmark project, according to documents obtained by The Herald through a public records request.

But city officials and LLC representatives said the negotiations broke off before Jackson’s Amador Hotel 44 group received a one-year exclusive negotiating agreement in August.

Sara Isgur, Seaside’s redevelopment services manager, said the city knows of no other development team that has talked to Amador Hotel 44 representatives about joining the project.

She also said that under the agreement with Amador, the company is not required to keep the city informed about potential development partners.

"No one else has called that we know of," she said.

Talks between the two companies could resume, however, said Lee Babcock, vice president of development for for RLJ Development LLC, but a number of things need to be in place before the company would agree to take part in the project.

He said Jackson’s group must first buy land and negotiate with the city on any zoning changes that would be needed. Amador Hotel 44 would also need to complete an

environmental impact report for the project.

"We talked to Reggie. We like the project in general, but we decided it made more sense for both sides to talk when they have all his entitlements," said Babcock. "The project is solid. Reggie does have a great vision for the area. When and if these things happen, and if he wants to continue to talk about this project with us … we’re interested."

Johnson founded RLJ companies in 2000. A month later he sold BET, which he started in 1979, to Viacom for approximately $3 billion.

During an August City Council meeting, Jackson said he would be looking for an experienced partner to help Amador Hotel 44 with the project. At the end of the meeting he presented Isgur with a $50,000 check as a deposit for expenses connected with finalizing the right to develop the hotel and conference center on 5.7 acres at Canyon Del Rey and Del Monte boulevards.

There are about two dozen properties on the site, including four major property holders. Jackson owns a 20,000-square-foot parcel at the site.

Amador Hotel 44 representatives could not be reached for comment Friday.

Andre Briscoe can be reached at 646-4436 or abriscoe@montereyherald.com.

—–

To see more of the Monterey County Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.montereyherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Monterey County Herald, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:VIAB, NYSE:DLM,