May 28–Construction of the 105-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel adjacent to The Center for Rural Development is about to begin.

The $11.5 million project qualifies for an incentive of $2.55 million in the form of a tax rebate over 10 years.

“Unless something drastic happens we hope to have equipment on site this week,” Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center, said Wednesday.

H. Wayne Smith Construction, Elizabethtown, is general contractor for the project. The hotel, expected to be completed by spring or summer 2016, is a project of LinGate Hospitality, an Owensboro developer that will build, own and manage the hotel as a Marriott franchise. It reportedly will have between 25 and 30 permanent employees.

The lodging complex will be built on the north parking lot, separated from The Center by about 40 feet. The north parking lot will be closed as soon as construction starts.

Courtyard by Marriott is a well-established, highly respected brand in the upper and mid-scale service lodging market segment. The latest generation Courtyard prototype has evolved to address standards for contemporary business travelers.

The four-story hotel will have 105 guest rooms, 2,300 square feet of banquet, meeting and pre-function space, a 400-square-foot boardroom, Bistro restaurant and lounge, indoor pool, fitness center, 24-hour market and business center.

The redesigned state-of-the-art Courtyard lobby also features Starbucks Coffee, media pods with televisions, charging stations and wired and wireless Internet connections. Also, a community table, brand-signature interactive flat screen “Go-Board” with touch-screen technology featuring weather, local attractions, events, restaurants and national news.

“The addition of a hotel at The Center will allow us to attract more conferences, conventions and larger specialized events to this region,” Lawson said.