GREENFIELD — A hotel chain is considering building near the Interstate 70 interchange in Greenfield.
Developers from Fairfield Inn & Suites, a subsidiary of the Marriott chain of hotels, are considering building a hotel at William Way and Martindale Drive, immediately south of the Hampton Inn in Greenfield.
Greenfield has roughly a dozen hotels and motels, the majority of which are clustered on the city’s north side just south of the I-70 exit. The Fairfield proposal would provide out-of-towners another option for a temporary stay in Greenfield and also boasts a bigger conference space than is currently available in the area, something developers say could be used by local employers.
Mohan Reddyreddy, CEO of Star Inns, which also owns the Holiday Inn Express in Greenfield, presented preliminary plans for the 40,000-square-foot three-star hotel to the Greenfield Advisory Plan Commission this week.
The new hotel would include 71 rooms and a conference space that could accommodate up to 75 people.
Reddyreddy owns the two-acre plot of land that he’s proposed the new hotel be built on.
Skip Kuker, executive director of the Hancock Economic Development Commission, said conference room space is in high demand locally.
Several of the county’s larger employers, including Elanco and Stanley Black & Decker, frequently fly clients and prospective employees in for meetings and interviews, he said. When that happens, those companies are often in search of a convenient meeting space that can fit a number of people comfortably, but few options exist locally, Kuker said.
Because of that, they often end up traveling to Indianapolis, taking business out of the county, he said.
“We have the fine dining, recreational opportunities and great retail options,” Kuker said. “What we need is more flexible meeting space.”
Currently, the only meeting space available close to the proposed site is the Hampton Inn, which accommodates 10 people, according to the company website.
Reddyreddy said he’s had preliminary conversations with representatives from Elanco, who have expressed interest in having increased off-site meeting spaces.
Dave Scott, executive director of the Hancock County Visitors Bureau, said frequent business travelers tend to prefer staying in the same chain of hotels. By offering another option to what’s presently available, the city could keep more travelers in the area, he said.
Fairfield Inn has more than 700 locations around the world — 25 of which are in Indiana — and offers free breakfast to guests, according to the company website.
Rooms at the Fairfield Inn & Suites on the east side of Indianapolis, which is the closest location to Greenfield, start at $109 a night, the site states.
