Newport Beach says it’s holding onto Lido House hotel land
The city of Newport Beach is not selling the land under the Lido House hotel.
City Attorney Aaron Harp said the City Council, meeting in closed session Tuesday, directed staff to take no action on the matter of potentially selling the site at 3300 Newport Blvd., which the city leases to Lido House developer and operator R.D. Olson Development.
Olson owns the hotel building but has a lease with the city for the land, which was home to Newport Beach City Hall before the current Civic Center complex was built off Avocado Avenue.
The agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting described the discussion as a “conference with real property negotiators,” with City Manager Dave Kiff and other city staff members as “agency negotiator” and Olson as the “negotiating party.” The entry read, “Under negotiation: Instruction to negotiator will concern price and terms of payment.”
The extent of Olson’s interest in buying the land was unclear. Chief Executive Robert Olson did not return a message seeking comment.
Councilman Scott Peotter wrote in an email to a constituent asking about a potential sale that “we are not suggesting selling the Lido House hotel site at this time.”
Before the meeting, Kiff said he and other members of city staff talked with Olson months ago after Kiff heard a rumor that Olson was interested in buying the site.
“This conversation occurred in good faith on both sides,” Kiff said. “No commitments were made by Bob or by me.”
The matter was on the closed session agenda at city staff’s request, Kiff said.
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