Dec. 26–LAVALE — A tentative 2015 opening date has been set for an 84-room Holiday Inn Express hotel in LaVale, a company official said.

“I believe it is expected to be a new development (newly constructed),” said Manjusha Sharma, a specialist in corporate communications for InterContinental Hotel Group.

Plans for a hotel at the end of Wesley Avenue have been discussed since at least 2010 in connection with development near Campground Road, Braddock Road and Interstate 68.

County Attorney Bill Rudd mentioned plans for the hotel in connection to a road opening petition at last week’s Allegany County Commission meeting.

“The purpose is to facilitate an economic development project,” Rudd said.

The Campground Road area has experienced a flurry of commercial development in the past few years and several parcels in the area have been rezoned from residential to commercial in the past three years.

A road opening petition for portions of Waugh Avenue will help facilitate construction of the hotel. The road opening petition will be followed by a road closing petition for the same road — the closing will avoid any issues with building on the property.

A Holiday Inn in downtown Cumberland recently changed corporate affiliation to Ramada Inn.

No further details were available from the company Thursday.

Matthew Bieniek can be contacted at [email protected].