WINTER PARK, Fla. — After drawing sharp criticism from neighbors, plans to build a new 4-star waterfront hotel in Winter Park may be dead in the water after hundreds showed up Wednesday night to debate the proposed project.

The meeting did not close until close to midnight, but it ended with the developers pulling their application.

City Commissioners heard from developers and the meeting drew so much interest that overflow rooms had to be set up, and the meeting was streamed on the radio and online. 

The proposed Henderson Hotel at Lake Killarney includes a 1.5 acre park and underground parking. 

Moving forward with building would require a change in zoning and amending the Comprehensive Plan for the area.

But ahead of Wednesday night’s meeting to consider zoning changes that would allow that hotel to be built, an online petition gathered more than 1,0000 signatures from area residents opposed to the project.

Winter Park resident Jim Cunningham opposes the proposal.

"They know that this development can’t pass the city standards, so the city is saying, 'Well we can’t pass it because of our standards, but we will give you the right to amend our standards,'” he said. 

The plan is supported by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.

President Betsy Gardner Eckbert said, "When we fail to make a move to reinvigorate land in Winter Park, it continues to stay as something that really doesn’t fit the character of our community."

In order for this project to move forward it needs approval from the City Commission. The first reading of the proposal was Wednesday night.

More than 40 people signed up to speak during the meeting, which continued into the night.

After the meeting stretched several hours, the developers pulled their application before a vote could happen.

A second meeting was scheduled for February 10. But after the developers pulled the plan, it is unclear if that meeting will still happen.