Building permits to be issued next week for new hotel

By Gale Rose
Posted Nov 06, 2009 @ 02:46 PM
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The City of Pratt will be issuing building permits starting the week of Nov. 9 for the new Holiday Inn Express.
The new $6.5 million building is four stories tall, will feature 68 rooms and will be the latest project developed in the K-61/U.S. 54 intersection area.
Exactly when ground breaking will take place is unknown but the organization is anxious to begin construction, said Pratt City Manager Dave Howard.
“They are eager to get started,” Howard said.
The plans have been reviewed and every thing is satisfactory. Transformers for the new hotel have been ordered and are expected in six to eight weeks.
The hotel will be located immediately south of the Comfort Suites Hotel on the east side of K-61.
The hotel lot will eventually be platted into two or three more lots in hopes of bringing in another business that would compliment the hotels, Howard said.
This area has been the focus of development for many years. Years ago that area was identified in the comprehensive plan as an area of growth. It’s proximity to K-61 and U.S. 54 made it a natural area for development.
Howard had a meeting with all the businesses and landowners in the area. The landowners were in agreement to develop the property. The lot was platted and was available when construction opportunities happened.
“When people came to town looking for a potential site to develop we were ready to go,” Howard said.
Hotels and motels are an ideal alternative revenue source. They bring in lodging tax and sales tax revenues. For any city trying to diversify revenue sources and make the city less reliant on property taxes, they are a good revenue source.
New construction also creates jobs and improves economic development. All this is part of what the city has been trying to do to grow Pratt.
The city leaders have fostered an attitude of development. They have taken steps and done things to provide this market and the tree is bearing fruit.
“The efforts have paid off and will continue to pay off,” Howard said. “As long as we intelligently develop the community I think we can prosper.”  
A large meeting room in the new hotel will help attract conferences and seminars to Pratt that is already a central gathering place in the region.
“We’ve become a hub for that in south central Kansas,” Howard said.
Even though the country is having an economic downturn an economic investment of this type indicates the local economy is doing well, Howard said.
The city has had success in establishing new businesses and that has allowed the city to cut their mill levy. The motels and hotel have generated taxes and that has helped make the mill levy cut possible.

 

The City of Pratt will be issuing building permits starting the week of Nov. 9 for the new Holiday Inn Express.
The new $6.5 million building is four stories tall, will feature 68 rooms and will be the latest project developed in the K-61/U.S. 54 intersection area.
Exactly when ground breaking will take place is unknown but the organization is anxious to begin construction, said Pratt City Manager Dave Howard.
“They are eager to get started,” Howard said.
The plans have been reviewed and every thing is satisfactory. Transformers for the new hotel have been ordered and are expected in six to eight weeks.
The hotel will be located immediately south of the Comfort Suites Hotel on the east side of K-61.
The hotel lot will eventually be platted into two or three more lots in hopes of bringing in another business that would compliment the hotels, Howard said.
This area has been the focus of development for many years. Years ago that area was identified in the comprehensive plan as an area of growth. It’s proximity to K-61 and U.S. 54 made it a natural area for development.
Howard had a meeting with all the businesses and landowners in the area. The landowners were in agreement to develop the property. The lot was platted and was available when construction opportunities happened.
“When people came to town looking for a potential site to develop we were ready to go,” Howard said.
Hotels and motels are an ideal alternative revenue source. They bring in lodging tax and sales tax revenues. For any city trying to diversify revenue sources and make the city less reliant on property taxes, they are a good revenue source.
New construction also creates jobs and improves economic development. All this is part of what the city has been trying to do to grow Pratt.
The city leaders have fostered an attitude of development. They have taken steps and done things to provide this market and the tree is bearing fruit.
“The efforts have paid off and will continue to pay off,” Howard said. “As long as we intelligently develop the community I think we can prosper.”  
A large meeting room in the new hotel will help attract conferences and seminars to Pratt that is already a central gathering place in the region.
“We’ve become a hub for that in south central Kansas,” Howard said.
Even though the country is having an economic downturn an economic investment of this type indicates the local economy is doing well, Howard said.
The city has had success in establishing new businesses and that has allowed the city to cut their mill levy. The motels and hotel have generated taxes and that has helped make the mill levy cut possible.



 

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