The Nautical Beachfront Resort’s plans may be “exactly what Lake Havasu City needs.”

Nathan Bruttell/News-Herald Photo It’s not the official start of the demolition, but landscapers removed trees and shrubbery in preparation for a “seven-figure” proposed beach club Wednesday at the Nautical Beachfront Resort. Nautical representatives expect to receive demolition permits next week with construction on the beach club set for completion in April 2011.

Nautical representatives unveiled a new multiple-phase, 41,000-square-foot master plan project at the city’s Planning Commission meeting Wednesday morning that will add a new destination beach club, resort-style pool, more than 180 new units, a new conference center, a new restaurant/bar, extended stay units, a new fitness facility, dry boat storage for more than 200 boats and other various amenities. The response from city officials and locals seems to be overwhelmingly positive for the project.

“I think (the plans are) gorgeous,” said Mayor Mark Nexsen following the meeting. “You know, the city and the citizens have been wanting a first-class destination resort on the island for a long time and they want to promote tourism. … It is exactly what Lake Havasu City needs.”

While ground has not officially been broken, landscaping crews began removing trees and shrubbery Wednesday afternoon in preparation of demolition of current facilities to make room for the proposed beach club, which includes the new visitors center, administration building, cabanas, resort-style pool and outdoor bar and grill. Nautical representatives would not give specific cost estimates but said Tuesday the beach club would be a “seven-figure” project with the total cost of the master plan to be an “eight-figure” project. Development Services Director Larry Didion said obtaining the demolition permits should be “very simple.”

“They should get those next week because all it is, is asking what they’re going to remove and how they’re going to do it. It’s almost over-the-counter-type permitting.”

Once demolition is complete, Nautical representatives say they will look at completing a required grading permit and construction drawings. Nautical General Manager Vern Porter said he expects construction on the beach club to be complete by April 2011.

“We’re hoping next week we’ll have those demo permits and then we can bring out the big boys,” Porter said. “(City officials) have been extremely helpful. I don’t have a great deal of experience with them, but certainly everything they’ve done so far has been with open arms and excitement.”

The response from the public has been overwhelming as well, Porter said.

“From what we’ve heard, there’s a great deal of support for what we’re doing and that’s wonderful from our standpoint,” he said.

Newport Beach, Calif., residents Brian and Jackie Johnson said they visit the Nautical at least twice a year and are looking forward to the new plans.

“We really love these new plans and think they’re going to be absolutely great and we’re really excited about the remodeling,” Jackie Johnson said, adding she has one major concern. “We just hope the rates don’t go up too badly. That’s our only fear.”

Porter said rates are still undetermined at this point, and so are the additional phases of the project beyond the “Las Vegas resort-style pool.”

“We just can’t predict when the economy is going to be right for (the rest),” he said. “It makes no sense to build a product you can’t market. We might test the waters when we build the (second) phase — the boat storage. We might build a few condos to see if there is interest and go from there.”

Porter said he could be certain about a few things, however.

“We’re not changing the golf course,” he said. “We obviously enjoy the golf course and it has a different lease on it than the resort so we’re not changing it now.”

Property development group RW Partners LLC, which took over 100 percent ownership in September 2007, and about 15 to 20 other investors outside of the city are working on the project. John Bozzo, senior vice president with RW Partners LLC said Tuesday he’s excited to move forward with the beach plans.

“That’s phase one and that includes a new roundabout, a new arrival building, back office and business center but the highlight is the new pool,” he said Tuesday. “That’s an amenity that we don’t believe exists today in Havasu. We believe it’s going to be a very unique, larger resort-style pool more akin to what you’d see in Vegas ... with an outdoor bar and grill, cabanas with TVs, refrigerators and nice, lush landscaping. It’s going to be well beyond what we currently have on that property.”

Nautical representatives are expected to approach the Planning Commission in the near future with finalized plans for recommendations to the area’s zoning as it would need a “residential zoning designation” to allow for the extended stay (more than 30 days) units, City Project Manager Dan Kassik said Tuesday.

The second phase of the project is currently set to be for the dry boat storage. The third phase would include an additional 30 to 40 units and the fourth phase includes the about 20 long-term residential units facing the marina.

You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com