May 22--Main Street Odessa is conducting a hotel study, funded by the city, to determine if a hotel convention center downtown would be viable.

"The goal is to revitalize downtown Odessa," City Attorney Joel Roberts, who is also on the Main Street Odessa Board, said. "We're going to try to create a development for hotels, entertainment, apartments and retail for downtown and one of the things we're particularly interested in is a hotel convention center facility."

Main Street Odessa is a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of downtown.

"It's in the beginning stages now," Main Street Odessa President Norlene McBride said. "There haven't been any developers contacted."

The Odessa City Council authorized $16,500 toward a downtown hotel study for Main Street Odessa last year for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, beginning in October, City Manager Richard Morton said.

The facility would be downtown but they have not determined the size, location, cost or who would provide funding, Roberts said.

The facility would be a hotel with about 12,000 square feet of meeting space and a ballroom. Once the study is complete, they hope to build the convention center in two years.

--Contact Michelle Brownstone on twitter at @OAcitylife or on Facebook at OA Michelle Brownstone or call 432-333-7782.

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