Neighbors Speak Out About Proposed Huntersville Lagoon Resort

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Dozens of neighbors spoke out Monday night about a proposed crystal lagoon in Huntersville.

A developer wants to transform nearly 270 acres off Sam Furr Road into a resort-style property.

“This is just a horrible, horrible nightmare of a plan for that area. And it doesn’t belong there,” says neighbor Violet Clarke.

Clarke has helped lead the fight against the lagoon.

“We just don’t have the infrastructure, we don’t have the capacity,” she says.

Lagoona Bay Beach Club would feature a 200-room hotel, 36,000 sq. foot convention center, and more than 1,000 housing units.

Of those, 250 would be single family homes, 200 townhomes, 430 apartment units, and 300 condos.

“The more I dug into it, the more my mind was blown on how big this is,” Clarke says.

The project is being spearheaded by local developer Jake Palillo.

“We need more places to dine, and enjoy and entertain,” Palillo says.

He calls the lagoon resort an “unbelievable experience” that will bring jobs and tax revenue.

“It’s hard to bring something new that people haven’t seen. But if it was here and people could experience it, we’d have overwhelming support. It’s a great lifestyle,” Palillo says.

But neighbors like Noelle Burton worry if the project will work.

“I’m concerned about it not selling, the homes, and it turning into a day pass thing and it bringing in an unsavory type of element to the area,” Burton says.

Palillo is now suing Clark and Burton over comments they made about him on social media.

But the two say they won’t back down.

“We’re moving forward. There’s nothing that could make me back down from a bully, nothing,” Clarke says.

Palillo is estimating $16 million a year in tax revenue.

A vote isn’t expected until late summer.