Leaders from Roanoke County and development partners Jasmine & Hannah, LLC jointly announced a new hotel development located near the Gander Mountain in Hollins this week.
Billed as a revolutionary new brand in the Hilton portfolio, the new Tru by Hilton project makes its entry into the Roanoke market as the first hotel in the region for this corporate brand. The 4-story hotel is expected to bring 82 new rooms to the County with an $8 million investment and more than 30 new jobs.
“This project demonstrates continued economic expansion in Roanoke County and confirms the growth in tourism in the Roanoke region,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Joseph P. McNamara. “This new investment also coincides with the Plantation Road Transportation Enhancement Project currently underway as a key economic development strategy for the Hollins area.”
The Plantation Road Project began in 2009, and since that time approximately $4.2 million in federal, state and local funds have been allocated to complete improvements to the commercial corridor to create economic opportunities for new investment in Roanoke County. The funds are being used to design and construct Phase I on the west side of Plantation Road which includes: a 10-foot-wide shared-use path from Williamson Road to Lila Drive; a sidewalk from Lila Drive to Walrond Drive; street trees; curb and gutter and a “Welcome to Hollins” sign. The anticipated completion date is June 2018.
Future developments for the area will include a traffic signal with pedestrian crosswalks and signals at the Lila Drive intersection. Grant funding has also been requested for sidewalks between Walrond Drive and Gander Way, as well as for Williamson Road between Peters Creek and Plantation Roads.
“We are excited to be the first to bring the new Tru by Hilton brand to the Roanoke Valley. Our appreciation goes to the Roanoke County team, that was instrumental in getting the project moving forward,” said Kirtesh Patel a partner in the project. Construction of the Tru by Hilton hotel is expected to be underway this fall with a planned opening in the summer of 2018.
-Submitted by Jill B. Loope, Director
Roanoke County Economic Development
