Billionaires’ Hotel Plan Sparks Another War in Palm Beach

In the land of Chanel, country clubs, and $33 salads, there is never long-lasting peace. Always in Palm Beach, Florida, some faction is accused of taking things too far: a personal estate fit for 10 kings, a $110 million mansion senselessly torn down, and now, a cherished hotel that wants to greatly increase its foot traffic.

Last spring, a company owned by the British billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben, acquired The Chesterfield hotel for $42 million. They soon announced a plan to restore the property’s former name, The Vineta, and submitted a proposal that included increasing the number of dining seats by 74 percent, to 197, multiple residents said.

That plan has many locals up in arms. At stake, they say, is the town’s tranquil identity, as it already struggles to absorb the crowds that descended during the pandemic.

Read more at The Daily Beast.