NICKELODEON HOTEL planned for Harbor’s west side (City of Garden Grove).

By Jim Tortolano
Orange County Tribune

What’s probably the last remaining obstacle to beginning construction of a 500-room luxury hotel on Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove has been cleared.

On Thursday, the city planning commission approved the site plan, planned unit development and supplemental environmental impact report on a 7-0 vote to build a Nickelodeon-themed hotel on a 3.72-acre site on Harbor at the northwest corner with Twintree Avenue, south of the existing Sheraton Hotel.

The planned development would also include 17,715-square feet of ballroom and meeting rooms; restaurants that can seat up to 600 people and the Nick Studio theater, a studio hall, and 8,532 square feet devoted to retail and fitness spa.

The studio will be used to create and broadcast Nickelodeon TV properties. They include shows such as “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Paw Patrol.” It’s a property of Paramount, which is owned by Skydance Corporation.

The applicant was Kam Sang Co., based in Arcadia. The firm owns and/or operates seven other hotels and residential properties including the Waldorf Astoria in Las Vegas and The Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage.