A proposed mid-luxury hotel near the airport is going ahead after a city council decision Monday night.
The 75-room Hampton Inn by Hilton, with an estimated $165-per-night stay, will be geared toward the corporate traveler Jeff Crocco, a managing partner of the group building the hotel, told council Monday. Crocco said the group looked at many locations in the city but chose to lease the Thunder Bay International Airports Authority land because it’s close to existing hotels, restaurants and the airport.
While the hotel will have a pool, fitness centre and three small meeting rooms, it won’t have any of those amenities or a room large enough to host events.
"We are not going to be in the wedding business. We are not going to handle large events," Crocco said.
The hotel also won’t be catering to large groups such as hockey teams and other tournament-goers to the city Crocco said. Running north to south on a 2.184 acre piece of land west of Landale Gardens on Arthur Street, the hotel is going to feature landscaping and colour schemes that give it a Northern Ontario feel to create a "resort-like" atmosphere he added.
"This is not going to be on two acres of asphalt with a hotel slammed in the middle," Crocco said.
Some of the features are adjustments following a meeting with residents in the area last November. Crocco said the hotel was reoriented so guest rooms won’t face houses, signage will only be on the front of the building and noise should be minimal because of the lack of a bar or restaurant attached to the hotel. With one entrance proposed on Hawker Road and a limited access entrance on Arthur Street Crocco said that was because of concerns residents had with a full entrance on Arthur Street.
"We have done as much as we really can in terms of adjustment," Crocco said.
Still one resident in the area said she has concerns about the development of the area in general. Heather Moyniham and her husband Doug have lived on Arthur Street since 1996. Moyniham said residents in the area are concerned with an increase in plans to turn the land north of Arthur Street into an industrial development.
"(City council) allows the airport authority to do whatever they want without a plan," Moyniham told council. "I don’t think any of you would like to live across from an industrial park."
But city administration said that any future development around the land would be subject to public notification, a public hearing and city council approval just like the hotel that is being proposed.
"We can essentially ensure that what was presented to you this evening is what gets done" city development manager Mark Smith said.
The expected $10 million hotel will have a Northwestern Ontario-first vendor policy and is expected to generate $250,000 per year in property tax Crocco said. He hopes to break ground in the fall with a grand opening in the spring of 2012.
