More hotels, additional convention center planned for Columbia

[krazeeboi]

Rick Patel, the chief executive of Sejwad Hotels, is spending more than $50 million over the next two years in a building blitz that will more than double his company

[waccamatt]

Good for him; too often no one is willing to stick their neck out. I think the "convention center" on Garners Ferry will have a much different market than the real Convention Center downtown. I think that one will compete more with hotel ballrooms than with the center in the Vista. One thing the hotels in Columbia have in their favor is that 7 or 8 weekends a year (about 15% of the year), they are guaranteed high occupancy rates. Throw in the fact that Williams-Brice will be expanded in another year or 2 and you can see his reason for adding rooms. I know one thing - it is hard to find a downtown hotel room during the week if you have short notice.

[Firefox]

I know one thing - it is hard to find a downtown hotel room during the week if you have short notice.

[krazeeboi]

I think the "convention center" on Garners Ferry will have a much different market than the real Convention Center downtown. I think that one will compete more with hotel ballrooms than with the center in the Vista.

[Captain Worley]

Where is the Garner's Ferry Convention Center to be located? Garner's Ferry Road Hotel doesn't ring any bells.

If it is out towards Square D, they may get some ag expos...

[BrasilnSC]

Where is the Garner's Ferry Convention Center to be located? Garner's Ferry Road Hotel doesn't ring any bells.

If it is out towards Square D, they may get some ag expos...

[tablrock]

i really hope the hotel at midtown is built!!!

[Captain Worley]

You know, now that I think about it, there is a lot of land in South Cayce, and just south of 77 that would be perfect for an ag-expo type convention center. When I lived in Warner Robins GA, I'd go to the tractor show down in Moultrie once a year, and they had twice a year car show that I would attend. All three events drew huge crowds, many that had to stay two hours away in Macon.

I think if they could find a location in Richland or Lexington, they could really draw some crowds into the Columbia area. Just look how many people were drawn in when the Hot Rod Power Tour came through town.

[waccamatt]

You know, now that I think about it, there is a lot of land in South Cayce, and just south of 77 that would be perfect for an ag-expo type convention center. When I lived in Warner Robins GA, I'd go to the tractor show down in Moultrie once a year, and they had twice a year car show that I would attend. All three events drew huge crowds, many that had to stay two hours away in Macon.

I think if they could find a location in Richland or Lexington, they could really draw some crowds into the Columbia area. Just look how many people were drawn in when the Hot Rod Power Tour came through town.

[Captain Worley]

They used to do big car shows there, but haven't for twenty-some-odd years now. Last one I went to was in 84 or 85.

It can't really be used for an ag expo because there isn't enough room for visitor parking and the field demostration of equipment. The tractor show (not a mud bog or that kind of thing, tractor and heavy equipment manufacturers displaying and demonstrating their wares) in Moultrie was huge.

[803metlife]

i really hope the hotel at midtown is built!!!

[g-man430]

I personally think the guy developing all of this is going overboard, but that's just my opinion. It's hard to tell whether it will over-saturate the hotel market or not until it's all built. Sounds nice and good for Columbia though.

[krazeeboi]

The hotels will cater to different clienteles. The ones on Garners Ferry will be in conjunction with the proposed convention center, the one on Two Notch seems as though it will appeal more to business travelers (just like the one already under construction at I-77 and Two Notch), and the Crowne Plaza just one part of a much larger development. If Patel were building all of these hotels in just one area of town, I'd definitely be concerned, but being that they are spread out geographically and will have distinct customer bases, I don't think there will be anything to worry about in the long run.

[waccamatt]

I personally think the guy developing all of this is going overboard, but that's just my opinion. It's hard to tell whether it will over-saturate the hotel market or not until it's all built. Sounds nice and good for Columbia though.

[g-man430]

The hotel demand is basically the same for Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach. Every one of these cities has high hotel occupany rate, which is very good for South Carolina.

[Spartan]

according to what?

[g-man430]

according to what?

[803metlife]

I think people forget that Columbia has 3 interstate highways and thousands of vacationers pass through Columbia every day. We are also halfway between the great lakes area and Florida and many of those people pass through Columbia so I think there is plenty of demand to go around. Like I said earlier, it is very difficult to find a hotel room downtown on a weeknight with short notice, so I know the demand is there.

[803metlife]

Another hotel !!!!! CC Development Group of Columbia will invest $5.5 million to open a Value Place extended stay hotel this fall at I-20 and U.S. 1, near Lexington. I think were going to be seeing more hotels sprouting up in lexington and off I-20 heading to batesburg/lesville exit.

[krazeeboi]

I wonder what's going on with these proposed developments, particularly the convention center.