Royal Inn in Sanford attracts buyer, will be razed

The Royal Inn & Suites in Sanford on S.R. 46, off I-4, has attracted a buyer after its owner shut it down last October as it faced closure by the City of Sanford for numerous code violations.

The 6.3 acre parcel will likely go to a local developer who declined to be named or disclose the contract price. The deal would be with owner Saj Lodging.

The 103-room hotel would be razed and there is discussion about it becoming a new hotel with a restaurant or a car dealership.

Development is hoped to begin early next year.

The decades-old hotel had been going downhill in recent years and, after it was closed, became a place for squatters who weren't stopped when the site was boarded up.

The hotel received this review on YP last June, when it was still operating: "This motel is a rat trap. I sure would not recommend it. The rooms are nasty."