AN 82-ROOM, 5-STAR LUXURY WATERFRONT RESORT IN MOORESVILLE

By Dave Vieser. When Brett Krueger left his job as VP at Miami based MRK Investments, one of the first projects he dreamed of pursuing was a resort hotel on Lake Norman. “For a region where lake activities are such a major part of life, the lack of a high-quality lodging facility right on the water seemed hard to fathom,” Krueger said in an interview.

That may change soon as Krueger plans a $33 million, 82-room resort hotel along Sunset Cove Lane in Mooresville, just to the northwest of Exit 31 on I-77.

“Sunset Cove” will also include a beach and pool, a 4,000-square-foot conference center and an Italian steakhouse. The beach will be open to the public for a fee, and all 82 hotel rooms will have water views.

Krueger formed Sunset Cove Partners LLC which bought the 15.5 acre site for $8 million.

Krueger says there’s plenty of interest among investors in the project. “There’s 520 miles of shoreline on Lake Norman, yet few people realize how important luxury lodging is to investment and positive growth for an area,” Krueger said.

He cited the Trump National Golf Club Charlotte on the other side of Lake Norman. “They book some 6,000 rooms a year for their golfing enthusiasts and a good many go down to Charlotte. Having a five-star hotel ten minutes away makes business sense on all sides,” said Krueger.

In addition to the hotel, beach and pool, the facility will have a 3,000-square-foot spa complete with a salt/relaxation room, mineral pool, juice bar and an outdoor relaxation area. The spa will have five hotel rooms and it will be open to non-hotel guests as well.

Krueger, who worked for MRK Investments for many years, helped recreate The Ivey’s in Uptown Charlotte, as well as the Windsor Boutique Hotel in Asheville. The new hotel will be on a par with those luxury properties.

The zoning required for the facility to proceed is already in place, as it was approved last spring by the Mooresville Town Board, according to Planning Director Rawls Howard, explaining they will have to submit plans to the town and county for the required building permits before construction begins.

Krueger is aiming for a February 2020 groundbreaking and a summer 2021 opening.

The only other lodging facility on Lake Norman is the 1970’s vintage Lake Norman Motel in Sherrills Ford, a no-frills spot near Slanting Bridge Road.