[oliveurban]

Lakeside hotel deal may be near in Tempe
180-room tower would be full service facility

Jahna Berry
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 7, 2006

TEMPE -Suncor Development Co., the firm that is building gleaming blue office towers and condos on Tempe Town Lake, says it is tantalizingly close to a lakeside hotel deal.

The proposal is for a 12- to 15-story hotel with up to 180 rooms and a possible condominium component that would be a "four-star or better" level of service, said Randy Levin, vice president of design and urban infill development for Suncor.

"We think the lake is very special," Levin said. "We are not interested in selling a land pad. We are interested in getting it right."

If Suncor's hotel plans gel, the property will become part of a flurry of Tempe hotel news:

• The owners of the Tempe Mission Palms are reviewing a plan to add up to 200 rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space to the 300-room downtown hotel.

• The Fiesta Inn Resort's owners have announced plans to pour $5 million in renovations for landscaping and conference space.

• Tempe city leaders are finalizing a $42.5 million land sale with a team led by a California developer that would bring hotel rooms and shopping to 27 acres of city property within two miles of Suncor's development.

Tempe, which has aggressively chased tourism dollars, has longed for an upscale downtown hotel.

While Tempe has a wealth of limited-service hotels, there are only six full-service hotels in the city, said Michael Martin, executive vice president of the Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau.