SPOKANE, Wash.-- For years, it’s been the talk among local tourism officials.
Now it appears Spokane will get a four star hotel, but some wonder if it will hurt other hotels already in the area.
Some local owners spoke to KREM 2, and all of them feel seemingly positive. They believe with the upcoming expansion of the Spokane Convention Center, event planners will be more likely to give the city a second look.
“We’ve had a ton of support from Spokane,” local developer Walt Worthy said. “Everybody is embracing the Davenport. We think this town needs something like this.”
Worthy hopes to build the new hotel by 2014 across from the convention center.
Rival hotels don’t seem too concerned about it. Red Lion executive Harry Sladich says it could be good for overall business.
“The Public Facilities District and Visit Spokane keep accurate track of the business we’re turning away because of a lack of a hotel, and the lack of an expanded convention center,” Sladich said.
Some nearby property managers agree.
“It’s going to bring in a lot more visitors to our area. It’s going to attract bigger groups and bigger conventions,” Meredith Rainville, Travelodge general manger, said.
Market research conducted by local tourism groups seems to support this hope. They say having a national name brand affiliation is key to attracting big groups from across the country.
