Significant Hotel Planned for Salt Lake City

Nov. 27, 2007
5-story full featured hotel to include indoor sports facilities, conference facilities, 125 rooms

AmeriTel, a Boise-based company that specializes in franchise hotels throughout the country, is planning to build its. own hotel brand in downtown Salt Lake City.

A 125-room AmeriTel Inn is being proposed on about five acres between 300 West and 400 West and 600 South.

"It's going to definitely clean up that part of 600 South and make the entrance into the city a lot nicer," said Scott Abelman, vice president and chief financial officer of AmeriTel. "We're in the process of subdividing that parcel for two hotels and a restaurant."

Abelman said the site will definitely house an AmeriTel-brand hotel and possibly another franchise hotel. The company also built and operates the Hilton Garden Inn, located across the street from the new site on 600 South.

"This will be the first [Ameritel] in Utah. It will be an upscale, limited service hotel," Abelman said. "We have eight of them now with one under construction."

The other AmeriTel Inn locations are mainly in Idaho, with one each in Washington and Oregon. The Salt Lake City AmeriTel Inn Will be at least a five-story hotel that will include a 4-hour indoor pool and fitness center free hot breakfast, highspeed wired and wireless connectivity and 3,500 square feet of conference rooms. Abelman said the final designs are still being drawn and the facility could increase in size to six stories and 135 rooms.

"Our rooms are little bit bigger than the industry average," Abelman said. "We have suites and Jacuzzi suites - it's about half and half. The rooms have double queen beds and some rooms will have just showers versus having a tub - that will appeal more to business guests."

The property is currently being subdivided to accommodate the hotel, a restaurant and either a second hotel or an office/retail facility.

"If everything goes right, we're hoping to have a building permit by next summer," he said.

In additional to the Salt Lake City hotels, AmeriTel is currently building a Hampton Inn at Jordan Landing in West Jordan. Construction is expected to be complete in April.