Coral Hospitality has appointed RAUL AGUILERA as Director of Rooms for the new Sandpearl Resort, the first new beachfront resort on Clearwater Beach in over 25 years. The eight-story luxury hotel, opening late summer 2007, will feature 253 guest rooms and suites positioned along 700 feet of Gulf of Mexico waterfront.

Aguilera brings over 15 years of hotel management experience to Sandpearl, most recently serving as hotel manager of The Roosevelt Hotel in New York, NY, where he managed hotel operations for over 1000 rooms. Prior to that position, he served as general manager for the Wyndham Grand Bay Hotel in Miami. Other past positions include hotel manager for The Regency Hotel in New York, NY, and director of rooms of the Don CeSar Beach Resort in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“We at Sandpearl, Coral Hospitality and JMC Communities are all pleased to welcome Raul to our growing team,” stated Stuart Arp, General Manager of Sandpearl. “His past experiences with managing resorts both in large cities and destinations provides him valuable insight in creating a retreat for guests within the Tampa Bay area.”

In his new position, Aguilera will oversee operations to ensure that the resort’s vision is delivered to guests. He’ll also manage staff development and training, and establish quality standards and services. The Front Office, Guest Services, Housekeeping/Laundry, Security, Pool/Activities, and other departments will report directly to Aguilera. He would also be in charge of the resort in the absence of Arp.

Aguilera and the current Sandpearl Resort team are residing in the pre-opening office located at 600 Cleveland Street in Clearwater until the resort opens.

The Sandpearl Resort is situated along a 700-foot expanse of pristine Gulf Coast beach, Sandpearl will feature 253 luxurious guest rooms, a lagoon-style beachfront pool with private cabanas, full-service spa, unique lifestyle enrichment programs, fine & casual dining, plus meeting & event space. For more information, visit www.sandpearl.com or call (727) 441-2425.

The Sandpearl Resort is being developed by JMC Communities (www.jmccommunities.com) of St. Petersburg, Fla., and is managed by Naples, Fla.-based Coral Hospitality (www.coralhospitality.com). Other project partners include the Hunter Hotel Group and Greenfield Partners.

Founded in 1978, JMC Communities is a Florida-based real estate development company specializing in premier waterfront residential properties that preserve and accentuate the state’s natural beauty and uniqueness. JMC Communities has developed nearly 4,000 waterfront condominium homes in Florida, including many highly successful developments in the Gulf Coast area.
Coral Hospitality is a full service management company with a diverse portfolio of resorts, hotels, condominiums, private golf clubs, marina, spas and community associations. Currently managing 35 properties throughout the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean, Coral operates each with a core belief in providing thoughtful service in unique surroundings.