A labor of love, an economic boost and a local link to a world of travelers: the newly opened Royal Floridian South Tower is all of those.
The first new beachside construction project since 2006, the 53-unit structure is the latest addition to Spinnaker Resorts, owned by Ken Thomas. His 10 resort properties include six at Hilton Head, S.C., and two in Branson, Mo., but he chose the Ormond Beach property with an eye on the future.
"When we bought the (Royal Floridian) project 12 years ago, that land (for the South Tower) was part of it, and I always planned to build on it," Thomas said in a telephone interview on his way into town from Hilton Head for a ribbon cutting that was scheduled for Friday at the new tower.