A proposed Marriott-branded hotel in Apopka’s Floridian Town Center is advancing through the city’s development review process, marking another step in the buildout of the S.R. 429 corridor. 

The project, listed as the “Floridian Town Center Hotel” in city documents, came before the Development Review Committee (DRC) on Wednesday as a third submittal of its major development plan.  

The hotel project could go before the Planning Commission on May 12, followed by City Commission review on June 3, DRC chair Bobby Howell said.  

Plans call for a 137-room, four-story hotel on approximately 2.9 acres near Southfork Drive on parcel five within the larger mixed-use development. The hotel would operate under Marriott’s Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites brands. 

City staff indicated the proposal has largely addressed prior comments, with only minor revisions remaining. 

“This project did get an amendment to the Floridian Town Center development agreement to allow 137 rooms, and that’s what’s proposed,” Howell said.  

Project representatives said they encountered “speed bumps” working with the parent parcel developer, which contributed to the need for a planned development amendment and slowed the project’s timeline.  

“We had some speed bumps to get through with the parent parcel developer, and that led to the [planned development] amendment, which maybe took us a little bit longer to get to this point,” project attorney Jason Searl said.  

The Floridian Town Center is a planned 65-acre mixed-use development in northwest Apopka near S.R. 429 and U.S. 441, envisioned to include retail, restaurants, multifamily housing, medical offices and a hotel as the area continues to see rapid residential and infrastructure growth.  

While portions of the Floridian Town Center are under development, the project remains in its early phases, with additional commercial and residential components expected to come online over the next several years.