Mark Calitri reports: Downtown hotel should boost tourism, officials say
But indoor sports facility needed
• By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
• Dec 24, 2019
But indoor sports facility needed
• By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
• Dec 24, 2019
https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/local/downtown-hotel-should-boost-tourism-officials-say/article_24dc1d47-5698-5047-bb00-787ae949884f.html
Construction on the 120-room Home2 Suites by Hilton and the 200 apartments attached to it across Second Street from the Owensboro Convention Center should begin in the spring.
And Matt Hayden, who's building the complex with Jack Wells, said the 10- to 12-story project should be ready to open in April 2021 -- if not sooner.
The new hotel is important for the continued growth of tourism in Owensboro, Hayden and Mark Calitri, president of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said recently.
"In order to attract larger conventions, we have to have at least 350 rooms downtown," Hayden said. "The new hotel will take us to 389 -- 150 at the Hampton, 119 at the Holiday Inn and 120 at the Home2 Suites. That gives us a little cushion."
The new hotel will also bring the total number of hotel rooms in town to more than 1,500.
Mayor Tom Watson said, "The new hotel will be something to hang our hats on. It will create more convention business."
"The new downtown hotel will be transformative for Owensboro and adds another diamond in our crown," Calitri said. "The CVB sees the next few years as crucial for Owensboro as our market has already successfully absorbed the opening of two new hotels with no real decline in hotel occupancy. Our challenge is to be proactive and continue to aggressively pursue innovative ways to attract new visitors and sports and convention groups to fill the hotels.
Construction on the 120-room Home2 Suites by Hilton and the 200 apartments attached to it across Second Street from the Owensboro Convention Center should begin in the spring.
And Matt Hayden, who's building the complex with Jack Wells, said the 10- to 12-story project should be ready to open in April 2021 -- if not sooner.
The new hotel is important for the continued growth of tourism in Owensboro, Hayden and Mark Calitri, president of the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said recently.
"In order to attract larger conventions, we have to have at least 350 rooms downtown," Hayden said. "The new hotel will take us to 389 -- 150 at the Hampton, 119 at the Holiday Inn and 120 at the Home2 Suites. That gives us a little cushion."
The new hotel will also bring the total number of hotel rooms in town to more than 1,500.
Mayor Tom Watson said, "The new hotel will be something to hang our hats on. It will create more convention business."
"The new downtown hotel will be transformative for Owensboro and adds another diamond in our crown," Calitri said. "The CVB sees the next few years as crucial for Owensboro as our market has already successfully absorbed the opening of two new hotels with no real decline in hotel occupancy. Our challenge is to be proactive and continue to aggressively pursue innovative ways to attract new visitors and sports and convention groups to fill the hotels.
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