CARLSBAD -- Grand Pacific Resorts Inc. said Thursday that construction had begun on a 56-acre, $200 million complex that will include a 350-room hotel and 350-unit time-share resort next to Legoland California.

The hotel, called the Sheraton Carlsbad, is scheduled to open in late 2007 with 250 guest rooms, 13 suites and 25,000 square feet of meeting and conference facilities. An additional 100 guest rooms are scheduled to be added to the hotel within the next five or six years. Room costs are estimated to average between $160 and $180 per night.

Tim Stripe, co-president of Grand Pacific Resorts, said the hotel would cater to families and executive business travelers.

"Our ideal customer is the family that wants to vacation and go to Legoland," he said. "(The hotel) is very close to a lot of great amenities, such as the beach."

The 15-acre, $80 million Sheraton Carlsbad resort hotel does have a walking path connecting to the Legoland theme park, and it sits across from a planned 18-hole championship golf course, also scheduled to open in 2007. Each room will include an expansive work area, wireless Internet and a 32-inch, liquid-crystal display TV.

A Legoland official said the park would like to build its own hotel eventually, but looked forward to having the hotel next door.

"We expect it will grow our attendance," said Kelly Schwartz, Legoland spokeswoman.

Other planned guest amenities include a 5,200-square-foot restaurant with an ocean view and patio dining, tennis courts, fitness center, health spa with eight private treatment rooms, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and an adventure pool for children.

All of these amenities are going to be available to time-share owners in the future 350-unit time-share resort called the Grand Pacific MarBrisa Resort and affiliated with Hilton Grand Vacations Club.

The hotel and resort complex is projected to employ 350 people and create $1 million in tax revenue for the city of Carlsbad in its first year.

Grand Pacific Resorts, headquartered in Carlsbad, manages 12 properties throughout California, including the recently developed Grand Pacific Palisades in Carlsbad. It licensed the name Sheraton for the hotel and Hilton for the time-share resort through long-term agreements. The reason the complex chose two different license names is because Sheraton doesn't offer affiliation agreements for time-share resorts.

Sheraton is the largest brand for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., with 394 hotels in 65 countries. Other than Sheraton, Starwood also owns and franchises other hotels and resorts, such as Westin.

Contact staff writer Patrick Wright at (760) 739-6675 or pwright@nctimes.com.