The Lenape Heights Golf Resort in Ford City, Pa., will celebrate the opening of its 20-room, European boutique-style hotel, which will ultimately be open to the public, on March 29 at its Winemakers’ Dinner. In Sioux Falls, S.D., Elmwood Golf Course is in the early stages of developing a hotel on its property after forming a partnership with Fairway Suites.
The Lenape Heights Golf Resort in Ford City, Pa., aims to add a touch of Europe with its new hotel, the Pittsburgh Tribune reported.
After two years of construction, the resort will celebrate the opening of its 20-room hotel and kick off golf season on March 29 at 6 p.m. with its Winemakers’ Dinner, which features locally made wines and cheeses, the Tribune reported.
“We just want to bring something different into the area,” said General Manager Alexander Stiller. “There are Holiday Inns and Sheratons and those types of hotels all over the world, but we want to be special, and we’re not going to shy away from being something different in this area.”
The hotel was modeled after European, boutique-style hotels, Stiller said, which tend to be spacious luxury facilities with full-service accommodations built around a central theme. Lenape Heights’ theme is called Indian summer, featuring natural wood and bright, natural colors, the Tribune reported.
It sits next to Lenape Heights’ banquet facilities, restaurant and pro-shop, overlooking the golf course. The course, which opened in 1967, was purchased in 2007 by Albert Plekker, Sam Kube and Christof Thoma, owners of KPM Herkules, Ford City manufacturer of sheet metal machinery and equipment. The group operating under the name Herkules Golf and Entertainment began remodeling the golf course’s clubhouse, restaurant and pro-shop shortly after buying it. The hotel was the final step in turning the course into a resort, Stiller told the Tribune.
Although the hotel is open to the public, the group’s original intent was to cater to German businessmen coming in to KPM Herkules, the Tribune reported.
“This is a beautiful region, and we wanted to provide a countryside hotel with a modern flair,” Stiller said. “We don’t want to be too posh and scare people away from coming, so we’ve been looking for a middle ground to make a place for relaxing and leisure for everyone.”
Kevin Andrews, director of the Armstrong County Tourist Bureau, said the hotel and renovated facilities are a good addition that could bolster the area’s economy, the Tribune reported.
“Golf is always a big attraction, and being an inclusive resort, more people could come out to see what they offer,” Andrews said. “Any time people come out and stay in the area, they’re going to go into the communities, and that’s when they see what the rest of Armstrong County has to offer.”
Another property is in the early stages of adding lodging. Elmwood Golf Course in Sioux Falls, S.D., has partnered with Fairway Suites to bring a hotel and restaurant to the property, the Sioux Falls KDLT News reported.
“We’re transitioning an area that has largely been industrial. It looks industrial, it feels industrial,” said Darrin Smith, Dir. of Community Development. “This project likely will be in the range from $10 million to $12 million dollars.”
The city says the development would directly benefit the golf course and the surrounding area, KDLT News reported.
“We also envision that wedding parties and class reunions will stay at the hotel, and incorporate a golf outing as part of their festivities,” said Don Kearney, Dir. of Parks and Recreation.
The city hopes to continue expanding east along the golf course, creating an entire entertainment district steps away from the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, KDLT News reported.
“If we can create some type of a very nice, walkable, entertainment type of district here with a hotel, food and beverage, and the arena in place, this will be an outstanding venue for years to come,” said Brian Burton, Fairway Suites.
The long term goal for this project is to have several hotels, restaurants, and shops built. For now, the focus is just getting the first hotel finished. The next six months will be spent finalizing details and lease agreements, KDLT News reported.
“If all goes well and as planned, we should see ground breaking either this fall, if things go very well, or possibly early next year,” said Smith.
Smith hopes the first hotel will be finished nine months after ground breaking, but that’s if South Dakota weather cooperates, KDLT News reported.
“Development doesn’t happen overnight, but you’re going to start seeing it happen this year, and next year, and the year after that, and it’s only going to continue,” said Smith.
The entire complex they’re envisioning will cost roughly $30 million, and if all goes well, could be completed within three years, KDLT News reported.
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