The Eastwood Mall Complex plans to add a hotel and banquet center as early as next year.
If all goes according to plan, the Eastwood Mall soon be home to a four-story, 100-suite hotel and banquet center. The hotel will be attached to the back end of the mall near Dillard's and Old Navy.
"Guests could go through the lobby, walk out a set of doors, and they would be in a concourse that's part of the mall," said Cafaro Co. spokesman Joe Bell.
Mall representatives said the idea was to make it convenient for travelers in the area for business to have a one-stop shop for everything.
"They'd be able to hold a major event, attend a major business conference, do their shopping all in one place," Bell said.
The multi-million dollar project also will bring jobs to the Valley. Shoppers said we need something like this in the area.
"It's a good attraction to bring to the Niles area, seeing as we don't have anything of that nature. Being from Niles, I can see recommending it to anybody coming into town," said Shawn Hughes.
"It's definitely good as far as jobs wise, and it would be a great addition to the mall too. It's definitely a place I would come and shop and spend a night or two at the hotel," said Louis Reynolds of Girard.
The hotel is a national chain. However, mall officials are not releasing the name until the deal is finalized.
"We're prepared to have them go forward and make this a first-class operation," Bell said.
Construction is expected to start this spring, and be completed by the beginning of next year.
According to a release from the Cafaro Co., guest rooms would offer kitchen areas and full-size appliances needed for extended stays for business travelers. The banquet and conference center would accommodate meetings and social events for up to 1,000 guests.
