bird-dogging here:

you say that the project is "largely replacing the Convention Center, asphalt parking lots and strip mall", and then later state, "The proposed development site is less than 1 percent of the entire island and is currently developed today".

that's not true.  the proposed development would require a rerouting of the ben fortston parkway, and would lead to the cutting down of many acres of maritime forest.  beachview drive would be rerouted inland, with construction both east and west of this new road.  from shell road south to the days inn, maritime forest would be cut down.  that's not currently developed land.  in fact, some of that land (near shell road) is land where cutting happened over a decade ago when george chambliss was chair of the JIA.  the forest has begun to recover there.  if i remember, chambliss was removed as JIA chair shortly after that development debacle nearly happened.

forested land will be affected negatively by this development.  i would be much more likely to get behind the project if it was guaranteed to not exceed the currently developed footprint, but that is not the case.