Athol opens process for hotel proposals

The site of a proposed hotel and conference center lies just beyond the parking lot to Dollar Tree and several other businesses. The town recently opened the proposal process for developers. 

The site of a proposed hotel and conference center lies just beyond the parking lot to Dollar Tree and several other businesses. The town recently opened the proposal process for developers.  FILE PHOTO BY GREG VINE

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 07-23-2024 5:00 PM

ATHOL – After five years of discussion and studies, the Economic Development & Industrial Commission has taken a big step in the effort to establish a hotel adjacent to the North Quabbin Commons shopping center on Market Drive.

The EDIC has begun seeking proposals for construction of the facility, which town officials hope will include 70 or 80 hotel rooms and meeting space able to accommodate up to 300 people. Town Manager Shaun Suhoski told the Selectboard at its July 16 meeting that the Request For Proposals (RFP) has been advertised via several publications and online sites.

The deadline for developers to submit proposals is Sept. 16.

Suhoski told the Athol Daily News that engineering for a wetlands crossing, allowing for construction of an access road to the hotel site, has been “substantially completed.” He also said the promise for an easement over an adjoining commercial property – also necessary for the access road – has been made. That property is home to Dollar Tree, Asia Gourmet, Uptown Package Store and other businesses.

“That easement is actually a requirement in the permitting for that commercial development,” said Suhoski. “So it’s a requirement, not just a wish.”

Suhoski added that the pandemic was a factor in the delay in seeking proposals for the hotel.

“We had a market study that was completed in 2020,” Suhoski explained. “It was literally finalized on February 7, 2020, and then on March 10, the COVID pandemic was declared. So what happened to the market? Everything kind of changed. Can you rely on a market study that was done right before COVID?”

Instead of relying on that earlier market study, which determined development of a hotel and convention center was feasible, Suhoski said a grant was received from MassDevelopment for a second market study, which was completed earlier this year. He added that the study confirmed that a 70- to 80-room, mid-grade, nationally-branded hotel is feasible on that site, along with meeting space for business or other meetings.

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Suhoski said liquor licenses have already been designated for that area “thanks to Rep. Whipps. So the town has the ability to streamline the permitting for liquor licensing. It’s a publicly-owned site that’s not producing any tax revenue now.”

Not only would a hotel development create new tax revenue for the town, it would also provide services and accommodations that are currently not available in the North Quabbin area, as well as creating dozens of new jobs.

“So we’re hopeful the EDIC can negotiate with a developer and come up with a great plan,” Suhoski said. “It would really be an economic development boon to the whole region.”

EDIC Chair Keith McGuirk said he was pleased with the progress made, but reminded everyone that much remained to be done, such as choosing a developer and completing the needed permitting.

“We’re still working on it,” McGuirk said. “So it’s a long process. I wish it had happened sooner, but we are where we are and we’ve made some pretty good strides so far.”

McGuirk said the EDIC will be holding a meeting for interested parties on the proposal at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 29, in Room #21 at Town Hall. A visit to the site will be included as part of the meeting.

“This is something that Athol and the whole area really needs,” McGuirk said. “Everybody talks about what Athol needs, but we really do need this; this is something we can put in the serious category of a need for the town. So hopefully it will become a reality in the near future.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.