Two more hotels proposed for Hamilton County

Two more hotel projects are in the planning stages in Hamilton County as developers continue to step up to meet a recent rise in lodging demand.

In Westfield, South Bend-based Holladay Properties is proposing a Hampton Inn (see rendering) near the southwest corner of Wheeler Road and Westfield Park Road. The four-story facility would be constructed on 2.66 acres.

The Westfield Plan Commission is expected to review the project Monday night.

In Carmel, Sohum Development LLC has filed initial plans for a four-story Hyatt Place Hotel. The hotel would be between U.S. 31 and Illinois Street, to the south of Ritz Charles at 121st Street. It would have 90 rooms.

It wasn’t long ago that Hamilton County was desperate for more hotel rooms as the high volume of visitors to Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield pushed people to surrounding areas for lodging arrangements.

Since May, plans for at least five more hotels have been introduced in Hamilton County, including these recent announcements.

Construction on the five-story hotel located next to the indoor soccer arena at Grand Park is expected to start soon, with an opening scheduled for the summer.

Westfield Community Investors LLC also has included a four-story hotel in its project on 7.1 acres near the southwest corner of U.S. 31 and State Road 32.

Earlier this fall, Noblesville officials approved millions of dollars in tax incentives for a 198-room Embassy Suites with an attached 20,000-square-foot conference center to the west of Olio Road between Interstate 69 and Tegler Drive.

There's reason to believe the momentum will continue.

Real estate experts are expecting hotels to invest in the area near 116th Street and I-69 in Fishers, following the announcement that home furnishing giant Ikea plans to open a store there by 2017.

Longtime plans for a City Center in Carmel also include space for a boutique hotel, but no specific project has been introduced.