Construction is now underway on a new Windsor-Essex hotel.
Ground has been broken on a new Holiday Inn and Suites, located on Amy Croft Drive near Manning Road in Lakeshore, just beyond the Tecumseh town line.
The 105-room hotel will fill a lodging void in that part of Essex County. The Town of Lakeshore waived building fees last year to try and attract a hotel. Town officials said at the time that with the popularity of nearby points of interest such as the Atlas Tube Centre, the WFCU Centre, and the planned Tecumseh Sportsplex, visitors and guests will be looking for accommodation.
The hotel will be owned by Petcon Hospitality Group and operated by Crescent Hotels and Resorts under a licencing agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which owns the Holiday Inn Express brand. Petretta Construction, which is affiliated with Petcon, is building the hotel.
"We look forward to partnering with IHG and providing future guests with the unmatched comfort and hospitality that comes with staying at a Holiday Inn Express and Suites hotel," said Petcon's Davide Petretta.
When completed, the hotel will have six floors of guest rooms, plus a meeting room, dining room, breakfast pantry, swimming pool, fitness centre, and business centre.
The new hotel will also feature the new Formula Blue Design format, which consists of an open, pod-type front desk area, flexible seating in the Great Room, and streamlined gusetrooms equipped with mini-refrigerators, a microwave, coffee maker and extra supplies all in one place.
The hotel is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.
-With files from Paul Pedro