Harrison looking at a new hotel

By Pat Maurer
Correspondent

“A hotel “has been on the Harrison wish list for a long time,” new Harrison City Manager Justin Cavanaugh recently posted in an email. “We are closer than ever to make that wish a reality.”
The city’s wish may be coming true.
A recently completed Hotel Feasibility Study shows that “Harrison would be able to support at least a 49-room hotel,” Cavanaugh wrote, adding “The Pro-forma (courtesy document developed by Core Distinction Group, LLC of Wisconsin) for the potential hotel … does show that a hotel would be profitable in our area.”
Wednesday, June 29th between 11 am and 1 pm, Janice, a representative from Cobblestone Hotels/BriMark Builders will be in Harrison for an informal meeting at City Hall to discuss the potential of brining one of their Hotel Chains to Harrison.
“During the meeting Janice from Cobblestone would like to hear from interested parties, as well as potential investors of this project,” Cavanaugh said.
He continued, “Additionally, we are seeking a group of individuals who would like to invest in this project and co-own a hotel. The Proforma suggests we would need about 30% equity or about 2 million total to get the project started.”
The total projected (estimated) cost of the hotel would be $6,624,000 for a 45-unit two-story hotel including an expanded guest wine & beer bar, standard (king and queen) rooms, four 2-room extended stay suites, free hot breakfast for guest, a guest convenience store, fitness room, laundry and meeting room.
The projected costs would include land costs, building costs, fixtures, furnishing and equipment costs.
Funding for the project would be through a $4,624 bank loan plus the $2 million in start-up costs which would need to be raised.
The Information Sessions will be broken up into four smaller sessions each lasting 30 minutes. Information sessions times will be: Wednesday June 29th from 11-11:30 am; from 11:30-12; from 12-12:30pm; and from 12:30-1pm.
“This gives everyone flexibility to come at a time that works best for them,” Justin said. “The information sessions will allow Janice from Cobblestone Hotels to provide a quick overview of Cobblestone and then answer questions from our guests. It is designed to be more of an open house type of information session than an actual meeting.”
 “If you have any questions, or would like to get in contact with Janice from Cobblestone Hotels please let me know,” Justin said. contact City Manager Cavanaugh at the Harrison City offices 989-544-9491.