Aug. 29–LAKEWOOD RANCH — A five-story, 122-room hotel planned on 3.5 acres near the University Parkway-Interstate 75 interchange is getting expedited treatment by Manatee County staff.

The Hyatt Place-Lakewood Ranch fills a need in an area chronically short of hotel rooms, brought on by the growing number of tournaments at Premier Sports Campus, polo and special events at Sarasota Polo Club, and rowing at Nathan Benderson Park.

The new hotel, which would face onto Interstate 75, would be on Exchange Way and Town Center Parkway near an existing hotel, Fairfield Inn and Suites.

“It will be a good addition to that area. We are really short of hotel rooms in that area many times during the year,” said Kirk G. Boylston, president of LWR Commercial Realty.

Manatee County staff is treating Hyatt Place as a rapid response project.

To be considered for rapid response, the county looks at the capital investment, the jobs created, and the special nature of the development, said Karen Stewart, economic development program manager for Manatee.

Hyatt Place qualifies on all three counts, she said.

The hotel project represents $15 million in capital investment and 75 jobs to be created over five years. It also serves an important economic development need in Manatee, Stewart said.

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch is making improvements to road and utility infrastructure in the area required by the county, including extending Exchange Way, Boylston said.

Floridays Development of Sarasota is developing the hotel in a joint venture with the hospitality group Lodgco out of Mount Pleasant, Mich. Lodgco owns and operates 18 hotels in Michigan, with franchise affiliations that include Marriott and Hilton select service hotels. The development team will also be developing a Home2 suites by Hilton at the entrance to Casey Key early next year, said Steve Mullen of Floridays Development.

“This is the first Hyatt Place the team has developed and we are extremely excited with the location and affiliation with the good folks at Hyatt,” Mullen said. “We hope to start construction in November and open in late fall 2016. We feel it is a tremendous opportunity due to the events and the lack of room supply.”

Floridays plans to cater to sports team and have a higher than normal number of double rooms at Hyatt Place, he said.

Among Floridays’ signature projects are the Grand Riviera luxury condominium in downtown Sarasota; the 432-unit Floridays Resort Orlando; The Greens at Viera Apartments; Bristol Park Assisted Living Facilities in Coral Springs and Tamarac; and Arlington Lakes Subdivision in Naples, according to the company website.

Mullen has extensive experience developing hotels.

Hyatt Place will have a lobby bar, full food amenities, and a bistro, he said.

“It’s going to be a nice added feature, and a great brand in the area. Hyatt is renowned for it service,” said Debbie Meihls, executive marketing manager for the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Diane Friel, principal planner for the project at Manatee County Building and Development Services, said zoning at the site would allow the developer to build a 10-story building. Instead, the developer only requested five.

County comments are due Sept. 2. Thus far no major issues have been identified, Friel said.

James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twitter@jajones1.