Monday, May 12, 2008

East Texas Business

Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2008

Email This

Print This

Courtyard By Marriott Construction On Horizon

NEW MARRIOTT: This rendition shows how the Courtyard by Marriott will look, across South Broadway Avenue from the Carmike Cinema. Construction on the approximately 85,000-square-foot hotel is expected to begin in about six weeks and last about a year.

By GREG JUNEK
Business Editor

Tyler’s flurry of hotel construction will continue into next year as the developer of a four-story, 119-room Courtyard by Marriott announced a new place of lodging to be built on South Broadway Avenue, across the avenue from the Carmike 14 theater.

Don Carroll, Perry B. Hall Co. Inc. vice president, said Longview-based Image Hospitality will develop the approximately 85,000-square-foot hotel. Construction is anticipated to begin within the next six weeks and take about a year.

Carroll said the investment amount was undisclosed.

The announcement officially made public the fact that the hotel would be built. It was on city of Tyler planning and zoning records last year for construction at 7524 S. Broadway Ave., but Carroll said he has been working on the project for about two years.

“They’re in the process of finalizing plans,” Carroll said. “They will probably submit for a permit within the next two weeks.”

Carroll’s company is the marketing firm representing the owner.

With several hotels in different stages of fruition in the city now, Carroll said Image Hospitality does not consider the increase in rooms an overkill for the Tyler market.

Other hotels under construction include Baymont Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Value Place Hotel. Sleep Inn & Suites on South Donnybrook Avenue is scheduled to open June 1, general manager Suzanne Beall said.

“According to their feasibility (study), it’s a justified development in the Tyler market,” he said.

Burton Hotel Group, owners of Sleep Inn & Suites, also conducted a feasibility study that arrived at the same conclusion, Ms. Beall said.

“The owners believe that the location is in line with Tyler’s future growth, and they believe it will add an excellent choice in hospitality for the visitors to Tyler,” Carroll said.

The Courtyard will have a snack area, consistent with other projects like it, and it is designed for the business traveler, Carroll said. It will have 129 parking spaces.

Image Hospitality was founded in 1993. It has franchise affiliations with Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Wingate Inn.

The company operates seven hotels and is planning on developing seven more, including the Courtyard on South Broadway. Its hotels are located in small cities and rural towns.

Comment on this article!
Note: You must login or register to post comments. Comments must be approved by Moderator before appearing on the site. Use the links below to login or register.