The rumor mill says a Ritz-Carlton, one of the most prestigious names in the hotel business, is coming to Napa’s Oxbow District, but confirmation is hard to come by.

News of the Ritz-Carlton had been promised Wednesday when a crowd of 75 people gathered downtown to hear about new commercial projects in the Oxbow District.

Joe Fischer, an organizer of the Second Wednesday Salon, had sent out e-mail invitations saying attendees would get an update on the “evolving Ritz-Carlton proposal.”

Things started promisingly. Arthur Jacobus, president of Copia, spoke, matter-of-factly of “the Ritz” arriving across the river from Copia. Another upscale hotel in the Oxbow District would be good for Copia, he said.

When Fischer’s turn came to speak, his Ritz-Carlton update fizzled. “It’s been an unconfirmed rumor,” he said.

The Ritz-Carlton is being talked about as the operator of a five-star, 350-room hotel approved by the city four years ago for an eight-acre property on the east bank, with frontage on Silverado Trail.

The original developer, Solomon Tsai, pulled back when the hotel market softened after 9/11. Now the property is owned by Continental Real Estate Companies, which is poised to develop the site.

A week ago, Continental announced it had expanded its riverfront holdings, acquiring the JV Wine & Spirits property on First Street from the Vallerga family.

More details about the new hotel project will be made within a few weeks, Brad Weiser, Continental’s managing partner, said at the time.

Kevin Teague, an attorney working with Continental, attended the Second Wednesday Salon, but said he had no news to report of a Ritz-Carlton. Expect an announcement soon, he said.

If Cassandra Walker, the city’s economic development manager, knows about a Ritz-Carlton, she wasn’t saying anything Tuesday. “I know the developer is working with a five-star resort operator,” is all she would say.

Donald Wise, managing director of Hotel Financial Strategies of Napa, is leading Copia’s effort to find a developer. He mentioned Hilton and Four Seasons as the type of hotel operators who might be interested in the Copia location.

Wednesday’s Oxbow District briefings were held in the First Street sales office for the Westin Verasa, the 160-suite hotel rising on McKinstry Street.

A third new hotel is being talked about for Copia’s property south of First, now occupied by gardens and a parking lot. Jacobus said Copia has begun a national search for a developer who could turn the five acres into a “mini-village.”

Stores, a hotel and condos are all possible elements of a mixed-use development, he said.

Copia hopes to select a developer this year, but the deal may not close for another two or three years, Jacobus said. The property needs flood protection to achieve its development potential.

Earlier in the week, Walker said the Copia site likely won’t be protected from flooding for another five years. A major electrical transmission line may have to be moved, adding to development expenses, she said.

The Oxbow is finally developing into the tourism district promised when Copia opened five years ago, Jacobus said. To boost lagging attendance, Copia is redefining itself, becoming more of a “wine-centered destination,” he said.

Copia has leased an adjoining property for the Oxbow Public Market, with several dozen specialty farm product stalls and casual dining when it opens this fall.

The market, a smaller version of San Francisco’s Ferry Building market, will help transform the Oxbow into a “community gathering district,” said Tom Fuller, the project’s publicist.

Two St. Helena businesses, Taylor’s Refresher and the Model Bakery, will open in Napa in late summer when a former tire store at First and McKinstry is converted to new uses, Fuller said.

The Oxbow District is rapidly acquiring the amenities to attract well-heeled tourists, including those who want to spend a portion of each year here, said Kevin Porter, director of sales for the Westin Verasa project.

The Westin, owned by resort developer Intrawest, is being financed by selling suites to investors. In December, Intrawest announced the first 100 units sold for $63 million.