Oliver Companies broke ground Tuesday for a Hampton Inn in Superior. The four-story, 83-room hotel across East Second Street from Perkins Restaurant is expected to be completed in June 2017.
"We’re glad to be here and glad it’s under construction," said Kent Oliver, chairman of Oliver Companies, which also owns the neighboring Holiday Inn Express and Barker’s Island Inn and Convention Center.
Construction of a Hampton Inn in Superior has been on the drawing board for nearly 10 years, he said, but it was shelved during the economic downturn.
City officials turned out to send ceremonial dirt flying Tuesday while work on the beginning stages of the structure took place behind them.
"I want to thank Kent Oliver and the Oliver Companies team for yet another investment in our community," said Superior Mayor Bruce Hagen. "This is going to be a premiere hotel for our community; it’s going to add to the people coming here, staying here and offering another quality operation."
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Tourism is one of the top three industries in Douglas County, one that has grown annually over the past 25 years, said Dave Minor, president and CEO of the Chamber of Superior-Douglas County. .
"To see Kent and all his companies, as we look around, and the strong presence they have in our community, not just in building but in supporting the community, supporting their employees … again just on behalf of the Chamber, the Visitors Bureau, thank you Kent, appreciate it and I hope there is more," Minor said.
The Hampton Inn will be constructed on the site of the former Days Inn.
"That one was a 60-year-old property and low ceilings, just tired," Oliver said. "With the masonry construction that it had, too, we had difficulties getting internet and phones and other things that everybody demands now as a customer."
The Hampton Inn will boast bigger rooms, taller ceilings and all the current amenities hotel-goers expect. Oliver said it could employ as many as 40 during the busy summer season. The new hotel is important to the city for many reasons.
"I think just like any community you need progress, you need growth, you need jobs," he said. "So I think all those are factors as well as the real-estate taxes and sales taxes that will go to feed the city coffers."
