I understand these parties can help, but I need to bring a contract to the table for this project as a next step.We can potentially build 2 air b & b units @ 120/night for say 20 nights a month (these are allowed and active in the area at that rate).

You will look at the Table of Uses and make sure that "Multifamily" use is allowed.

In terms off using hard money it's a numbers game and totally a possibility, I have used it for a BRRRR and am using it for another I just closed on, keep in mind you usually have to bring just as much money to the table as getting a conventional loan, you just have the flexibility to pull it all or some back out when you do your refinance if you can make your numbers.

If that lender has other options that he can clearly make a better return on, and he can prove it and show it to you: rate of return, amount of dollars to the stock market, what everyone in that area is doing, that they're all making money investing in a local business or whatever, then the only way you're going to get him to come to the table is if you're offering a greater return than what they can get elsewhere with a lower risk.

@Philip CookSounds like you have it covered.One option we did to make sure an offer stayed on the table, was to put $10,000 down non-refundable towards the purchase, subject to zoning approval within 90 days. 

They would be taking on 100% of risk for 50% of profit, not fair in my book if I was in your shoes.As an example, I funded a deal via partnership (mini syndication on one single family home) where I had zero money in the game but I did bring to the table a lender who funded 80 or 90% of the acquisition price and the "partners" who were silent (only involved via financial) received 65% of the profits at the end.

When I was at the closing table I even asked them to confirm the age of the roof because I noticed something and the realtor said it was a squirrel which it was and more. 

You can't put food on the table with an SDIRA without penalty until you reach 59 1/2.

they already had an offer on the table from an out of state investor who has never seen the house and they preferred to sell it to someone local if it was an option.

Water table is too high maybe.