Dayton, Ohio, will likely look to a public-private partnership to build a downtown hotel across the street from its convention center that it said is necessary to compete for conferences and major events.
The Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority this week issued a request for qualifications from developers interested in building a new hotel in Dayton on land across Jefferson Street from the convention center, which is currently undergoing a $45 million renovation.
The timeline for selecting a developer is before late summer, the authority said, noting that it hopes to have the hotel in operation in 2026.
The hotel project, which is expected to cost between $60-80 million, likely would be a public-private partnership, and there would be a funding gap between what the project costs and what the private sector can afford to invest, said Christopher Meyers, principal architect and hotel consultant.
According to the RFQ, the authority wants a full-service hotel that is nationally branded with approximately 200 rooms. The proposed design includes a rooftop bar and a first-floor restaurant space to help activate the corner and streetscape at Fifth and Jefferson streets,
The hotel would be built on a 0.4-acre public plaza owned by Dayton south of Fifth Street and will connect to the Oregon District parking garage along South Jefferson Street.
The city is spending $2.5 million to improve the parking garage and will put $1.5 million toward the new hotel project.
Photo courtesy of MarkDonna