City looks at hotel near the ag center
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on June 27, 2016 1:46 PM
Goldsboro officials have started talking with interested developers that could bring a full-service hotel to the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center.
Randy Guthrie, Goldsboro assistant city manager, said he and other city staff have been talking with several interested developers since the city started formally seeking proposals in late February.
The city started advertising the property and requesting letters of interest from developers earlier this year, with a cutoff date for proposals on April 15. No formal offers have been made, but inquiries have shown there is an interest in future construction of a hotel at the corner of Wayne Memorial Drive and New Hope Road.
"For that actual formal proposal that we put out, we didn't get any actual proposals submitted, but there was a lot of interest that was expressed, a lot of phone calls, a lot of questions and a lot of continuing interest," Guthrie said.
"We have had a lot of interest from folks who are tracking it, and we're confident that we'll have interest in building a hotel in the near future."
Developers have been watching the progress of the future agricultural and convention center, the recent opening of the nearby U.S. 70 bypass and other development along Wayne Memorial Drive, Guthrie said.
"We're still talking with entities, and I think it's all about timing," he said.
The city is seeking a privately developed full-service hotel, with a minimum of 150 rooms, a restaurant, lounge and at least 2,700-square-feet of flexible meeting space. The city is also interested in attracting restaurants and retail stores to the property but is focusing all its current efforts on landing a full-service hotel, Guthrie said.
The hotel is planned to locate on 6 acres of property owned by the city. The development is expected to lead the city to sell portions of the property for development, said Scott Stevens, Goldsboro city manager.
There are no city plans to lease the property but incentives could be considered, depending on future negotiations and what the market will support, Stevens said.
The property is located next to 12 acres where the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center will be constructed.
The city site is being marketed to a hotel developer based on its proximity to the convention center, the U.S. 70 bypass, Wayne Community College, Wayne Memorial Hospital, area businesses and physician offices.
Construction on the convention center will start soon, following a groundbreaking ceremony planned in mid-July. Wayne County officials are leading efforts in building the center, under a construction manager contract with T.A. Loving Co.