Local News in Brief : Laguna Niguel : Coastal Commission OKs Resort for Bluff
The California Coastal Commission on Thursday unanimously approved the $300-million Monarch Beach Resort that is proposed for an ocean bluff in Laguna Niguel.
The approval means that construction of the resort may begin in September; it is supposed to open in 1991. However, the South Laguna Civic Assn. has filed a lawsuit against the project contending that its environmental impact report was not adequate.
The resort is a joint project of the Hemmeter Corp. of Hawaii and Stein/Brief Group of Laguna Niguel. Hemmeter is known worldwide for its exotic and luxurious resorts, all of which have been built in Hawaii.
The company announced Thursday that golfing legend Jack Nicklaus will design the golf course for the resort. The grounds will also include an 850-room main hotel and convention center that is modeled after Hearst Castle in San Simeon. And there is a second building planned with 276 luxury suites.
The architects say the 165-acre resort will also have a beach house connected to the main grounds by an electric tram, an opera theater, an ice rink for shows and skating, an exotic Japanese garden and several swimming pools with scenic waterfalls.
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