Boyd Development CEO: Rumored tenants for Hamlin Town Center are not confirmed

ORANGE COUNTY –– Attendees of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce 2017 Economic Update Luncheon held May 25 received the chance to hear the latest progress with development projects under construction in their own backyards.

The annual luncheon, which took place at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center, was sponsored by UCF and Orlando Health. Former Orange County District 1 Commissioner S. Scott Boyd posed questions to four featured guests, followed by a Q&A session from the public. 

The guest speakers were Scott T. Boyd, CEO of Boyd Development Corporation; Sandra French, marketing manager of the West Oaks Mall; Jim Drayton, president of the MetroWest Master Association; and Myles Thomas, founder and managing director of Tag Aero. 

HAMLIN TOWN CENTER

Hamlin Town Center in the Horizon West community is a mixed-use project that will incorporate retail, office, residential and commercial uses on 850 acres located on both the west and east sides of New Independence Parkway off State Road 429.

As the largest town center project in Central Florida, it is still years away from full completion. Former commissioner S. Scott Boyd recalled how the Hamlin Town Center project accounted for almost 50% of building permits issued in Orange County during his time as commissioner. 

“Hamlin started as a 640-acre project, and then we acquired another 300 acres,” said developer Scott T. Boyd. “We’re blessed to be in a position that is surrounded by so much growth. … So we’re actively developing a number of projects on the commercial side right now and primary retail as we’re just getting ready to start our lakefront development with our anchor, the Cinépolis theater.”

Recently, rumors — including a list of tenants that included Ocean Prime, Mesa21, Hawkers Orlando, Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant, Zgallerie, Vapiano, Fossil and OMEGA Watches — have circulated social media sites. Scott T. Boyd said he does not know how such information was released and that his company currently is in talks with potential tenants. However, aside from Cinépolis, no decisions have been finalized regarding the companies on the list.

“We’ve contacted a number of the tenants and the restaurant operators to apologize,” Scott T. Boyd said. “There’s a number of those that we are talking with, but they have not committed, and we have not come to an agreement yet. So even though it wasn’t us that was circulating this — we’re not sure how that got out — we certainly wanted to apologize and not come off as presumptuous. … A number of them were offended that we would unilaterally put their name out, which we did not do. I understand people want to know what’s coming, but until the business piece is done, we don’t want to go public.”

Scott T. Boyd said several buildings are currently in various stages of design and that by May 2018, there should be about 18 to 20 buildings at the 429 and New Independence Parkway intersection. He said he expects about 85% of the development on the east side of the interchange will be completed in five years but said he has no estimated timeline for the development slated for the west side.

“To give you an answer to that, I’d have to first stop buying land,” he said.

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Contact Gabby Baquero at [email protected].