ANDERSON – A 12th hotel is being planned for the Interstate 69 and Scatterfield Road where there is a growing demand for more rooms, officials said.
The Anderson Plan Commission will consider a request Tuesday for a primary plat on the property formerly known as a possible site for “The Farm” athletic fields on East 64th Street.
Steve Servies, of Servies Engineering, said the Plan Commission will be asked to create two lots on 43.4 acres that are east of the current Hampton Inn. Servies said plans call for the construction of an 80-unit four-story Fairfield Inn on three acres. The remaining acreage will be used for future development.
The property is zoned B-4 for a community shopping center. The Anderson Board of Zoning Appeals will be asked to approve a special exception for the development and a variance from the lot size, which is less than five acres.
Currently at the interstate exit there are the following hotels: America’s Best Value; Best Western; Comfort Inn; Days Inn; Economy Inn; Hampton Inn; Holiday Inn Express; Motel 6; Quality Inn; Super 8; and the Deluxe Inn that is being converted to a Red Roof Inn.
Tom Bannon, executive director of the Anderson/Madison County Visitors Bureau, said there is a big demand for rooms in Anderson.
“We need more properties like the Hampton and Holiday Inn Express,” he said. “The hotels in Anderson are booked heavily on most weekends throughout the year.”
Bannon said hotels do well on the weekdays as well.
“We see a lot of bookings in the spring, summer and fall,” he said. “The casino and Anderson Speedway bring people to Anderson. The Zip Line attracts visitors; there are a lot of things to do in Anderson and Madison County.”
Bannon said he recently talked with an Indianapolis couple that attends all the concerts at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. He said they spend the entire weekend in Anderson.
Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, also noted a demand for hotel rooms in Anderson.
“The occupancy rates have been very good,” he said. “It’s a result of the quality of the providers.
“The attractions in Anderson are gaining a lot of attention,” Winkler said. “It’s a result of the work of the Visitor’s Bureau and the Colts camp is a huge part of the increased occupancy rate.”
Winkler said there is another potential hotel developer looking at the Exit 226 area where the former Applewood Raceway was located.
Both Bannon and Winkler agreed that the city needs hotels and restaurants at Exit 222 near the Flagship Enterprise Center.
“There are developers considering the Exit 222 area,” Winkler said. “The area businesses that have located there are putting people up at Exit 210.”
Winkler said Exit 210 in Hamilton County is more convenient for people traveling to the Indianapolis International Airport.
“We need restaurants and hotels at the 222 exit,” he said.
Bannon said a hotel would make a big difference for the Flagship Enterprise Center.
“It’s like the chicken and the egg,” he said. “Restaurants don’t want to locate there because there are no hotels and hotels are waiting for restaurants. We’re waiting for the first domino to fall.”