A new hotel is finally coming to Chandler, with final approval for the site plans and prints from Choice Hotels Development currently pending.
Rezoning for the hotel, which will be located behind the Randy Bowen dealership near the turnpike, was unanimously approved in January 2023 by the Chandler City Council. TJ Remy, the developer, said the plans were submitted at the end of August to Choice Hotels. He is currently waiting for full franchise approval. Once that’s done, he can apply for a building permit from the City of Chandler. He expects it will take the next 30 days to gain approval.
Remy said he is hoping to start construction in the last quarter of the year. It takes around 12 to 18 months from construction to open.
“If we start at the end of 2023, the goal would be to open in late spring, early summer of 2025,” he said. The proposed hotel will be a Comfort Inn and Suites and is the new prototype for the chain under the Choice Hotels brand, according to the developer. It will be a three-story, 75-room hotel with an indoor pool and a breakfast area. Free breakfast will be provided for guests every morning.
Remy said the decision to build a Comfort Inn and Suites in Chandler was two-fold. For Choice, Chandler is ideally situated between Tulsa and Oklahoma City right off the turnpike.
“So there’s definitely a need for it just because of the turnpike visibility. But also, the City of Chandler doesn’t have a limited service hotel,” he said, adding that the city’s needs plus the direct turnpike access drew Choice to want a hotel here.
City Manager Jason Orr said the need for a hotel in town had been widely shared by citizens long before he began working for the city. The previous administration diligently worked potential leads before a developer expressed a legitimate interest in building a Choice Hotel.
“The immediate revenue generated by the hotel is expected to be around $150,000 annually, but the overall economic impact will be far greater as the visitors will dine, shop and spend money at our local establishments,” Orr said. The city has long needed a hotel, said Mayor Kent McVey. “We need a place for people to stay and we haven’t had that since the Econolodge burned down,” he said.
McVey added that it’s a significant economic situation for the city because it will generate more tourist traffic to events that are already held and things coming in the future. “And I would be remiss not to mention that it will generate sales tax dollars. The more we generate, the more we can put back into the community,” the mayor said. “We’re very excited about that project and look forward to seeing its completion.”