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New hotel planned for Lincoln
By Michelle Koetters
mkoetters@pantagraph.com
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LINCOLN -- Officials in Lincoln hope a new hotel will give another boost to the growing community.

Construction on a 64-room Hampton Inn on the west side of town near Cracker Barrel and Interstate 55 is expected to start in about a week, said Lynn Paulus, business manager of Hotel Ventures Management Co. LLC.

“We just see that there’s a need in Lincoln,” Paulus said. “There are several times when the local hotels are full. Lincoln’s losing guests to the Bloomington and Springfield areas.”

The new hotel will not detract from Lincoln’s seven other hotels and one bed and breakfast, agreed Geoff Ladd, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County.

“We’re just getting a little piece of that pie back,” Ladd said.

The $3.1 million Hampton Inn should open in early April, Paulus said.

It’s a smaller version of a typical 80- or 100-room Hampton Inn, but it will have all of the same amenities, Paulus said. The hotel will feature queen- and king-sized beds, suites and whirlpool suites, as well as an indoor pool, fitness center, meeting room and a business center.

More hotel rooms also will mean an increase for the local economy, said Rob Orr, executive director of the Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership.

“They will hopefully eat in our restaurants, buy gas and shop in our stores,” Orr said.

The new building also will fit in well among other new developments. A Shell gas station and Arby’s should open soon across the street from the hotel site, Orr said. Central Illinois Service Access, which helps persons with disabilities, also will build a facility down the road, and a retail center is planned by the nearby Wal-Mart, he said.

“Lincoln is a city that we see as really growing right now,” Paulus said.

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Reader comments on this story - 6 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Hoot wrote on Sep 1, 2007 8:52 PM:

" Never mind Applebee's. Forget about more hotels. How about some decent paying jobs in Lincoln? Maybe something paying more than $10 an hour would be nice. "

Another Ex-Lincoln Native wrote on Sep 1, 2007 3:22 PM:

" Cracker Barrel is already there. Applebees would be a good choice. "

to Ex-Lincoln Native wrote on Sep 1, 2007 3:12 PM:

" How about a Cracker Barrel? They could put it right by I-55. "

Ex-Lincoln Native wrote on Sep 1, 2007 9:53 AM:

" Bring in some good restaurants, where people can eat. Forget about the fast food placed. Maybe an AppleBee's, Chili's or Chedders. "

Uncle Andy wrote on Sep 1, 2007 7:06 AM:

" This is a step in the right direction. When the bottle plant was being rebuilt, the contractors visiting from out-of-state complained about the lack of quality hotels to stay in. A nice hotel like this will be a good draw to new business. "

Truly sad wrote on Aug 31, 2007 10:42 PM:

" Lincoln really needs to expand it's businesses. PPG closed, Lehn & Fink closed, LDC closed...most of those people moved on and had to sell their homes and find new jobs. Many went to other areas of the state....Lincoln needed to push harder to SAVE what they had, now that each place is gone you would think they would fight extra hard to get Lincoln Estates up and running. You never realize the value of something until it is gone. "
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