A Herald-Tribune investigation into close contacts between Sarasota County officials and prominent local developers stemmed from the County Commission's handling of citizens' legal challenges to the board's approval of two requests to big multi-story hotels on Siesta Key.

In all, developers have discussed building four hotels — each currently proposed for more than 100 rooms — that are still under consideration for development while county leaders consider changing the county's growth policies that would allow the hotels to be built on the barrier island.

Here's what you need to know about the four hotel projects.

Siesta Key Village hotel No. 1

The county commission approved two hotels in the fall of 2021.

One was a project on Calle Miramar in the heart of Siesta Key Village that received approval for 170 rooms on about one acre.

The owner is SKH 1 LLC, which is managed by local Sarasota real estate agent Robert Anderson. The developer has since resubmitted an application in 2023 with slightly fewer rooms.

The current proposal under consideration calls for a hotel about 80-feet tall with 163 rooms.

Siesta Key Hotel near Stickney Point Bridge

Another previously approved project that had to start over after a judge overturned the County Commission's approval last year would be near Siesta Key's south bridge. The revised plans still call for 120 rooms.

The developer is Gary Kompothecras, also known as "Dr. Gary." Kompothecras has achieved local fame for his 1-800-ASK-GARY legal service, ownership of the nearby Crescent Club bar and perhaps most notoriously for pitching and executive producing the MTV reality series "Siesta Key."

He and his family live on Siesta Key, and they have been looking to develop a hotel in the area for years.

According to the presentation in 2021, the hotel structure would reach 71 to 73 feet in height. But the tiered, "wedding cake"-style roof design, created in the style of the Sarasota School of Architecture, would bring the highest point up to 83 feet.

Dave Balot's hotel on Midnight Pass Road

The only project that did not initially draw a legal challenge by Siesta Key residents, Sarasota County resident Dave Balot's hotel is proposed to include 112 rooms on 2.15 acres on Midnight Pass Road, where a former Wells Fargo bank building sits.

Balot has also sought to change the county's growth policy to allow for a maximum of 52 units per acre on commercial property on Siesta Key. Balot has also attempted to differentiate his hotel plan from other proposals that have attempted to remove unit per-acre restrictions from hotel room calculations.

More: Developer answers questions about another hotel project during Siesta Key community workshop

"The developers think I'm insane because right now they think there's unlimited density," he told the crowd of about 100 people during a 2022 workshop, alluding to the potential for 250 or 300 rooms for new hotels. "... I will be living on the key and I want to be able to show my face around and not feel like somebody that's done something inappropriate for the key."

Still, Balot's proposal seeks nearly double the density compared to what had been allowed in past years.

He also recently filed a lawsuit against Sarasota County seeking to force county officials to allow him to develop his hotel, even though a circuit judge tossed out a development code change that underpinned his development application.

Benderson Development's proposal in Siesta Key Village

Benderson Development, one of the largest active developers in the region, had not been publicly involved in hotel development the first time Siesta Key hotels came before the County Commission.

However, the Manatee County-headquartered development company has taken point position this time, spearheading a growth policy change that could eventually pave way for development of large hotels on the barrier island.

The 147-room hotel the development company proposes on Siesta Key would be along Ocean Boulevard and Calle Menorca across the road from the Siesta Key Oyster Bar.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: What are the four large hotel projects planned on Siesta Key?