Columbus officials Thursday night moved one step closer to securing a nearly 200-room hotel development near the intersection of Highway 82 and 18th Avenue North.
Members of the Columbus City Council during a special meeting unanimously approved a pair of resolutions clearing the way for the city to apply for an about $2.5 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant to help complete the project.
If awarded, the grant will be used to construct a road through the now vacant development property, build a bridge across Moore”s Creek and complete several road improvements on Sixth Street North and 18th Avenue North.
After the road and bridge projects are completed, local developer Mark Castleberry will begin construction of a 95-room Fairfield Inn and a 103-room Courtyard by Marriott.
Through the resolutions, the city agreed to provide about $1.3 million in matching funds on behalf of the Columbus Land Development company if the grant is awarded. Columbus Land Development is partly owned by Castleberry.
Because the grant money will be used to construct a road and a bridge in the development property, the city also agreed to take ownership of several acres in the currently vacant field.
“To get the grant, the city has to own the property the grant would be used on,” explained City Attorney Jeff Turnage. “This contract is for Columbus Land Development to deed the land the road and the bridge will be on over to the city.”
Because Columbus Property Development will pay the about $1.3 million grant match, Columbus will incur no cost if the EDA awards the grant, Turnage explained.
“Columbus Land Development has submitted a letter of commitment to pay the matching money if the grant is awarded,” Turnage said. “That means the bridge and the road would be built at no cost to the city.”
Because the City Council passed the resolutions Thursday, Columbus Federal Programs Director George Irby will be able to deliver the grant application to the EDA by Monday, Castleberry said.
“We have to get the application to them by Monday so they can review it in their Thursday meeting,” Castleberry said. “They should have a yea or nay for us at that meeting, so it could be a pretty quick answer.
“I”ve never applied for anything like this, so I honestly don”t know if we will get it or not,” Castleberry added. “But you can”t get it if you don”t put in for it.”
If the grant is awarded, construction at the development could begin within the next few months, Castleberry said.
In addition to the pair of hotels, Castleberry also will construct four outparcel building pads on the development property. The building pads one day could house retail or restaurant tenants, Castleberry said.
“I”ve gotten letters of intent from four restaurants, but I can”t say which ones they are yet,” Castleberry said. “We could see dirt being pushed within the next three months or so.
“This is a great location for these hotels. You will be able to see them for a long time when you”re driving on Highway 82,” Castleberry added. “You will know that there is a Fairfield Inn and a Courtyard by Marriott in Columbus, Miss.”
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