Ceremony kicks off U of S hotel project

Construction is set to begin on a new hotel complex at the U of S following a sod-turning ceremony on Friday.
 
The nine-storey building slated to open on College Drive near Griffiths Stadium will house two hotels.
 
A 123-room Holiday Inn Express will cater to people planning a short-term stay. 

The 97-room Staybridge Suites is meant for longer-term guests, with amenities like kitchens in the suites.
 
The new development marks the second time the U of S has partnered with a private developer on its endowment lands.
 
The first was for the Preston Crossing development.
 
U of S president Peter Stoicheff said the complex serves a growing need for accomodation for visiting scholars and researchers, as well as student families and patients getting treatment at Royal University Hospital.
 
Stoicheff said money generated from the project will benefit students.
 
“We will invest the revenue generated from leasing the land for the hotel into further develepment of College Quarter, including additional amenities and facilities to create a vibrant university neighbourhood,” he said.