Murfreesboro: Where is our 10 story hotel and conference center?

[Justiceham]

Voted on over a year ago, the citizens of Murfreesboro were promised a new Embassy Suites hotel and adjoining conference center to be located off Medical Center Parkway. Construction was supposed to start in January, six months later the first shovel of dirt has yet to be turned. Although no contract has been signed with Mr. Hammons, what could be taking so long?

[cheeriokid61]

I never knew about this. Congratulations! And good luck.

[Relient J]

Not only has it not been built, but as I understand it the hotel was originally supposed to be located in the new Gateway Overlay District (I believe that the last time I checked that was still shown on at least one of the city's development drawings of the area). Yet, supposedly the developer decided to move the hotel out near the Interstate instead.

Though I see the potential benefit of a large hotel and conference center in Murfreesboro, I voted against public money supporting that project. I don't believe that it's an appropriate use of taxpayer funds. Personally I'm very unhappy with the way this project is shaping up so far. First it's been moved to a location other than what we had been led to believe, and now there's seemingly no word on why construction hasn't been started.

[Justiceham]

There are other developments that seem to be abandoned as well such as the Shoppes of Murfreesboro behind the Boys and Girls Club. Chromalox has been demolished for almost five years now. Retail and office space was supposed to be located at the intersection of Northfield and Sulfur Springs and this was negotiated almost two years ago. I sure hope this trend of starting and not finishing things does not continue in the future.

[Relient J]

In lighter news, the new Carrabba's opened yesterday (Monday, June 26) at The Oaks Shopping Cener in the Gateway. When my wife and I drove by there on our way to Chick-fil-A the parking lot looked pretty full. It wasn't too long ago that Bonefish Grille and The Chop House opened up in the shopping center across the street.

[ATLBrain]

I'm pretty sure Hammonds is still planning to move forward with his hotel/conference center. He was just awarded a contract for Dalton. The AJC had a blurb on it which said he is also building another one in M'Boro.

[Justiceham]

I'm pretty sure Hammonds is still planning to move forward with his hotel/conference center. He was just awarded a contract for Dalton. The AJC had a blurb on it which said he is also building another one in M'Boro.

I hope so.

Edited June 28, 2006 by Justiceham

[scaffdog]

I dont doubt that the new interest in living IN Nashville instead of commuting 30 miles each morning and afternoon has something to do with the ideas of some of the development in Murfreesboro.

[HABANERO7]

I'm pretty sure Hammonds is still planning to move forward with his hotel/conference center. He was just awarded a contract for Dalton. The AJC had a blurb on it which said he is also building another one in M'Boro.

Are you saying Hammonds has a contract to build an Embassy Suites in Dalton GA?

[ATLBrain]

Are you saying Hammonds has a contract to build an Embassy Suites in Dalton GA?

That's right. It's the same type of deal... city supported conference center and the same cookie cutter hotel building that Hammonds has made a fortune off of.

[Lexy]

I can't stand this guy. Very dingy, and down right ugly buildings that are cheaply built. I would rather a new Holiday Inn get built than some cookie cutter Embassy Suites with a "Conference Center" tagged on the side of it. LOL!

[HABANERO7]

interesting, so they will be adding the hotel to the NW Georgia Convention and Trade Center soon up on the ridge overlooking Walnut Ave at exit 333. I had not heard about that deal, thanks for the information. What size hotels are we talking about for the 2 cities? units that is...

[satalac]

hey, does anybody know what's going in over by the square? a whole section between city hall and broad street are gone. it suprised me tonight when i drove past it.

[Justiceham]

hey, does anybody know what's going in over by the square? a whole section between city hall and broad street are gone. it suprised me tonight when i drove past it.

Yeah there have been a few buildings demolished lately including the white one on main street. It's roof caved in due to heavy rains. Another recording/practice studio was burned down to the ground across from Club Sweet Water. No mention of what's to be built in those spots yet. I do know, however, that the Texaco gas station at the corner of Broad and Memorial was demolished for a new overpass to be completed in 2009.

[Justiceham]

I dont doubt that the new interest in living IN Nashville instead of commuting 30 miles each morning and afternoon has something to do with the ideas of some of the development in Murfreesboro.

The interest may be new but the demand is still not as high as it is for single family dwelings, and who knows maybe in a few years Murfreesboro will have its own highrise living...downtown. Development here is on par and the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.

[satalac]

Yeah there have been a few buildings demolished lately including the white one on main street. It's roof caved in due to heavy rains. Another recording/practice studio was burned down to the ground across from Club Sweet Water. No mention of what's to be built in those spots yet. I do know, however, that the Texaco gas station at the corner of Broad and Memorial was demolished for a new overpass to be completed in 2009.

yeah, i knew about the studio that burnt down. it had a lot of equipment from the local band Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. i'm excited to see what goes in all of these spaces. i hope they blend in well with the square.

[doormanpoet]

I thought this was a done deal. I have driven by before and I never saw anything.

[Relient J]

There was an article yesterday that was published to the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal's Web site with some updated information on this project. Apparently Mr. Hammons made an announcement about the state of the project. That announcement was made at MTSU. The article also includes a rendering of what the hotel will look like. You can find the article here:

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...NEWS01/60725004

[nashvillwill]

I think this is a great thing for the 'boro, but the building is horendous!

[Relient J]

^ hehe. I wouldn't call it horendous, but it's nothing to write home about. A typical-looking hotel of that size.

[ATLBrain]

The peaked roof is so overdone... especially for a building that tall. It's pretty 80s looking. Of course, Hammons hasn't changed his one-size-fits-all plans since the 80s. M'boro could have done a lot better than to join up with JQH, even if it would have taken a couple of more years to get it done. The best looking one that he has built is in Richardson, TX on the DART line. I believe it's a Renaissance... and the city forced them to build it in a more attractive design. Guess M'boro is behind the curve on design guidelines.

Also, I didn't realize the Avenue is so close to SR 840.

Edited July 26, 2006 by ATLBrain

[Justiceham]

The peaked roof is so overdone... especially for a building that tall. It's pretty 80s looking. Of course, Hammons hasn't changed his one-size-fits-all plans since the 80s. M'boro could have done a lot better than to join up with JQH, even if it would have taken a couple of more years to get it done. The best looking one that he has built is in Richardson, TX on the DART line. I believe it's a Renaissance... and the city forced them to build it in a more attractive design. Guess M'boro is behind the curve on design guidelines.

Also, I didn't realize the Avenue is so close to SR 840.

Mr. Hammons says that the model showed on tv is a basic one, and it will have more "finishing touches" in the final result. I agree with you, ATLBrain, the peaked roof is generic. I would like to see a neon top or a glass pyramid for the roof. With that said, I'm still glad it's coming anyway.

[Relient J]

Another view of the same rendering can be seen on the Web site of WGNS, Murfreesboro's news talk radio station. You can see it here:

http://www.1450wgns.com/EmbassySuite.jpg

Edited July 26, 2006 by Relient J

[rocky top buzz]

I like the design, but I also haven't seen any of the other conferences centers that you all say look exactly like this.

[Relient J]

Today's online DNJ has a little follow-up information to their article from yesterday:

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../607260340/1002

What's most interesting to me is the news that now the plan is not for the city to pay for the conference center, but for the city to buy the land instead. While it makes me happy that taxpayer money will be funding substantially less of this project than we were told before, it irks me that it now looks like the plans weren't as concrete as they appeared when this was brought before the voters last year.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Relient J