A hotel company with a controversial past is getting more time to finish its downtown Corpus Christi project.<\/p>\n
The City of Corpus Christi’s Type B board has granted another extension to the developers behind the downtown Hilton Homewood Suites. No final completion date has been set as delays continue to push the project’s timeline back This is now the second extension the City has given to Elevate QOF, LLC, the company behind the project.<\/p>\n
The extension is significant because the City approved a $2 million grant for the project tied to its completion. Elevate now has until August to finish the development.<\/p>\n
Elevate previously faced allegations that the company altered documentation to move the project forward \u2014 sparking a lawsuit against the City and costing taxpayers $400,000 in legal fees.<\/p>\n
Jeff Lehrman, who represents one of the architects of the project, said the board made the right call.<\/p>\n
“The Type B Board did the right thing. They separated all the noise, they separated all the politics, and they looked at this objectively and they said this project deserves an extension. These guys have done everything right. They’ve complied with everything. The project is close to being finished,” Lehrman said.<\/p>\n
Multiple agencies investigated the fraud allegations \u2014 including the Corpus Christi Police Department, the FBI, the Texas Rangers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the District Attorney’s office. None found evidence of fraud or criminal wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
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