PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Marriott Hotels will construct a new Courtyard by Marriott beside the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Joseph McCorvey, executive director of the convention center, announced earlier this month the hotel would be built on the location of the old Plaza Hotel.
During a press conference, McCorvey says the new hotel gives “new life” to the convention center.
As reported by arkansasonline.com, he believes the hotel will also “will attract new businesses, because most of the associations we tried to attract to Pine Bluff, they would not come because of the current condition of the hotel.”
The hotel is envisioned to have 125 rooms with a bistro and will come with an estimated $20 million to $22 million price tag, which includes the demolition of the Plaza Hotel—which was built in 1988 but has fallen into disrepair in recent years.
Under the proposed agreement with Marriott, the company would operate the hotel for 30 years. McCorvey says financing for the project is expected to be completed in early 2023, and if everything goes to plan, the hotel will take 15 to 18 months to construct.
According to the article, McCorvey believes the new hotel will allow the area to attract more events. According to him, the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Great American Conference—which the University of Arkansas is a member of—have both passed on hosting tournaments at the local arena because there were no hotels nearby.
