Town Board Will Hear Hotel Presentation on May 4

By Dave Vieser – The Cornelius Town Board will hear its first presentation on developer Jake Palillo’s proposal to build a 45,000-square-foot hotel at the corner of Mayes Road and Highway 73/Sam Furr Road will be held Monday, May 4 — the same day the proposed fiscal year 2027 town budget is expected to be unveiled.

An initial community meeting on the project, held April 7 at Cornelius Town Hall, drew 46 attendees, with a significant number from Huntersville. The Cornelius Planning Board received an update on the feedback at its meeting on Monday night.

“I would say the public did not receive it super well,” said David Cole of the Cornelius Planning Department. “Lots of concerns, especially about traffic and safety issues.”

Other residents raised concerns about the impact on adjoining neighborhoods, the ability to fill the hotel and overgrowth in the rural area.

The hotel site is in the far southeast corner of Cornelius, with a small portion of the property outside of town limits. Land directly across Highway 73 is in Huntersville’s jurisdiction.

Elevations on the town of Cornelius’ website show the property with frontage on Sam Furr Road and a U-shaped hotel featuring a courtyard pool and spa/club building. Seven cottages are proposed for the north side of the site.

The property is currently zoned rural preservation and would require conditional zoning for the hotel.

Cole said it is likely the Cornelius Planning Board will hold its public hearing on the project in June. That would be followed by a second public hearing before the Town Board and a final zoning decision.