Could town support an effort to attract a hotel?
There will be an informational meeting next week regarding funding for a hotel study that would determine whether a hotel could be supported in Cedar Springs.
The meeting will be held on October 25 at Cedar Springs Brewing Company at 5:30 p.m.
According to Cedar Springs City Manager Mike Womack, the City was approached by investors from AmericInn about the possibility of opening a hotel near US131.
He said they claimed that they needed a “hotel feasibility study” to be conducted before they can commit to building a hotel in Cedar Springs.
The City has a group prepared to conduct the study, which would show whether the area could support the hotel and turn a profit for investors. But it would cost $7,500 for the study.
“The difficulty lies in the fact that the Americinn people think that the City should pay for the study and the City has both financial and philosophical concerns regarding paying for the study,” said Womack. “The financial concern is that $7,500 is a significant amount of money for a city the size of Cedar Springs and the philosophical concern is that the City isn’t sure that spending taxpayer money to support a private business decision is appropriate,” he explained.
Private funding may be the answer. Womack noted that at least one interested party has promised $1,000 toward the study, and depending on the outcome of the meeting, the city may seek additional donations to fund the study.
“The City is definitely interested in locating a hotel within city limits,” said Womack. “A hotel located in Cedar Springs would not just benefit the City but would also be great for the surrounding area.”
The closest hotels to Cedar Springs are in Greenville and Comstock Park — both 14-15 Miles away.
“We here at city hall have been asked on a regular basis for the closest hotel to stay at by people visiting local factories, families attending tournaments at the Art Van Sports Complex, people in town for weddings or funerals, people visiting Rockford, golfers in town, snowmobilers, bicyclists, and people enjoying the Cedar Springs brewery,” explained Womack. “Furthermore, Cedar Springs is an ideal place to stay just outside Grand Rapids for people that prefer small town charm.”
