In Brief

-- Noaki Schwartz

Speak Up Newport's first meeting of the year Wednesday will feature a

presentation of the Newport Dunes hotel project. Tim Quinn, the director

of the project, and Robert Gleason, the hotel's financial officer, will

outline plans for a four-star resort hotel.

The resort would include 400 rooms, 100 time-share units, three

restaurants, a spa and 55,000 square feet of conference space. The

speakers plan to address questions regarding traffic impact, construction

and water quality.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Riverboat Restaurant, 151 East

Coast Highway, Newport Beach. The cost for membership is $20 annually.

For more information regarding membership, call George Schroeder at (949)

224-2266.