Spring Grove eyeing hotel proposal

From the Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Spring Grove eyeing hotel proposal
By Diana Sroka - dsroka@nwherald.com

SPRING GROVE – Village officials are seeking input from residents to find out how they would feel about having an “upscale yet reasonably priced hotel” in town.

Last month, the village released a survey through the village Web site to solicit feedback, and almost 100 residents have responded.

Mike Lee, chairman of the Spring Grove Economic Development Committee, said all the feedback had been positive so far.

“Everybody’s really excited about the hotel,” Lee said.

He said residents had commented that the hotel would be ideal for family who come from out of town for holidays and special family events. Area business owners have expressed interest in hosting company retreats at the hotel or using it as a conference center.

The developer interested in building the hotel, Wagner Commercial, also is interested in building several boutique shops nearby.

“We don’t want to create just another strip mall,” Lee said. “It’s got to have the look of Spring Grove ... the feel of Spring Grove.”

If the village and developer decide to move ahead with the hotel and boutique shops, they could be built as early as fall 2009, Lee said. It likely would be built near the northwest corner of Route 12 and Winn Road, according to the developer Web site, wagnercommercial .com.

Lee said the village was not exploring establishing a tax-increment financing, or TIF, district for the hotel.

To take the survey, visit www.springgrovevillage.com.