After years of discussion, Kansas City is on the way to having more downtown hotel space. A city council committee has endorsed a $46 million, 10-story venture at 16th and Baltimore.
Developer Rob Schaedle told the council committee that the city and the site are so promising that his company won't even have to ask for financial help from the city in building the hotel.
“Kansas City kept popping up in the top five markets for a development like we are talking about," said Schaedle. "So, when the recession started to cool and our backers got a little more friendly, we came back to town and quickly put the site under contract. We think it's a fabulous site."
The combination of Courtyard Marriot and Residence Inn would provide more than 250 hotel rooms and up to 100 hotel jobs – plus 150 or more jobs during its construction.
There's still a dispute over whether it would be too close to neighboring Sporting Innovations, but council members expect that to be resolved very quickly.
