The groundbreaking on a new highly anticipated Bayfront hotel, Harbor Place’s Phase One, is gaining momentum and Tiarra Braddock has local reaction to the plans for this new hotel east of State Street.

A new eight-story Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel is expected to be on the Erie Bayfront by 2020.  There’s already excitement for the new development.  

Executive Director of Erie Events, Casey Wells, says, “We welcome that, we think it will be good for Erie and more hotels down here in immediate proximity to the Convention Center is good for Erie.”

Wells says he hopes the new hotel will attract bigger conventions to the area.  “The more folks that attend here… the more businesses will continue to invest in the area.”

The hotel is being developed by Scott Enterprises and is a $150 million project. The hotel is the first of two phases.  Local business owners are also hoping for an economic burst when the hotel is built. 

Tim Sedney, Owner of Rum Runners, the Cove and several other Bayfront businesses says, “It’s wonderful to see new hotels… it’s bringing a lot of out of town people and it’s just going to increase our business… there’s no doubt about it… You need things to do on the waterfront and as the Bayfront progresses and develops, you need more than just hotels… hotels are great but you need a lot more than the hotels.”

Both Sedney and Wells say more people in the area is better for the Bayfront economy.