Sartell Pushing for Another Hotel In this Location
Sartell has one hotel, the AmericInn, but is pushing for more. Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum joined me on WJON today. He says he'd like to see a new hotel built this or next year. The location for this is likely to be between County Road 120 and County Road 1 along the Highway 15 corridor. Fitzthum says the road infrastructure is in place but there are some connections they'd like to make. He says the Central Minnesota Health Care hub area would make sense for a hotel. Fitzthum says the area they are envisioning extends from north of the Perkins/Hennen Furniture area on County Road 120 out to Pine Cone road to the west.
The city of Sartell has initiated a hotel study which Fitzthum says they are about half way through. He says early findings are that they have significant demand for a hotel in the Sartell community. Fitzthum says will want to be more active than passive in pursuit of new hotel developments. He says the amount of traffic that Sartell brings in with their athletic facilities, weddings at Mulligans and golf tournaments at Blackberry Ridge, there is demand for another hotel or 2 in the community. Fitzthum says right now that traffic is driven to hotels in St. Cloud, Waite Park or other surrounding communities. He says that also drives food and beverage tax into other communities as well. Fitzthum says it is their strategy to also drive additional restaurants and retail in the Sartell community.
Fitzthum says on Monday night at the City Council meeting they approved the findings of the feasibility study for the area mentioned above. They have plans for $18 Million of infrastructure in that area. He says they are working with the State Legislature for support to continue to build out the Central Minnesota Health Care hub.
If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Mayor Ryan Fitzthum it is available below.