Plans call for 400 hotel rooms, a church, a 2,000-seat community theater, 264 residential units, a children's museum, a fitness gym, commercial space and parkland.
Developers Jim Wood and Burrel Magnusson had agreed to sell the property to the local Foothills Christian Fellowship church. But they have exercised a clause in their contract that frees them to sell the property to others.
They have been trying to develop the site for three years, but have been unsuccessful with the vacant downtown mall. In August, they filed a lawsuit against the City Council, saying it unfairly prevented them from developing the property.
Downtown El Cajon Inc., a business improvement district, is advancing the new proposal for their property. The hotel would be the biggest in East County, with 10 more rooms than one being built by the Barona band of Indians next to its casino.
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