The future Hampton Inn & Suites will take advantage of a growing medical tourism industry and Avion Park’s proximity to Tampa International Airport, its operator says. It is scheduled to open next summer. MCKIBBON HOTEL GROUP
Tampa :
Development in downtown Tampa has been getting the lion’s share of attention, but the West Shore Business District is keeping pace.
McKibbon Hotel Group broke ground this week on a seven-story, 178-room Hampton Inn & Suites the company says will take advantage of a growing medical tourism industry and Avion Park’s proximity to Tampa International Airport for business travelers.
It’s the group’s fourth major hotel in the West Shore district and its 11th in Tampa.
“The market is growing. That’s the real key,” said John McKibbon, chairman of the hotel group. “We’re doing very well at our existing hotels, and this is a different brand — the Hampton Inn & Suites is a little different than the hotels that we have there now.”
The hotel group also announced it has a lease agreement with World of Beer Franchising to open a new tavern in 2016, supporting the city’s growing craft beer culture. World of Beer Tampa Avion Park will feature a 4,800-square-foot tavern with a 1,200-square-foot patio.
The franchise pairs its craft brews with its signature “Tavern Fare” menu featuring comfort foods, traditional bar offerings and such touches as Bavarian pretzels and a Guinness “Brat” slider. Paul Jacobs, joint venture partner with World of Beer, said he expects to host social gatherings such as runners clubs and “yappy hours.”
“World of Beer has really tapped into something special with its unique tavern concept and this location will be a great positioning of the brand,” Jacobs said in a statement announcing the agreement.
McKibbon said his group had its sights on a fourth hotel for several years. The Laser Spine Institute’s announcement in December that it will build a new headquarters and ambulatory surgery center at Avion Park provided confidence that the area would support another hotel.
“The Hampton Inn & Suites will offer Laser Spine’s patients and their families a brand-new hotel property as well as meeting space for the institute’s conferences and events,” McKibbon said.
The spine institute operates seven regional surgery centers across the country.
The hotel will provide complimentary daily hot breakfast, on-the-run breakfast bags Monday through Friday, a pool, fitness center and 2,300 square feet of meeting space.
Ann Kulig, deputy director of the Westshore Alliance, said the new hotel will be a “valuable and much-needed asset” in the district. She said it will bring nearly 50 jobs and critical meeting space.
Kellogg & Kimsey Inc. is the general contractor for the hotel, which will open in late summer 2016.
jstockfisch@tampatrib.com / (813) 259-7834
source: http://www.tbo.com / TBO – The Tampa Tribune / Home> Business> News / by Jerome R. Stockfisch – Tribune Staff / June 30th, 2015
