Sand Springs Community Hopes New Hotel Jump Starts Development

A big announcement was made for Sand Springs' economy on Monday. A new hotel will be built as phase one for what the Mayor hopes will be a massive development project.

It's all part of the 2025 project in Sand Springs, and residents said they want to see, specifically, sit down restaurants and maybe a big box store. But nothing is official just yet. The city mayor is hoping the hotel will jumpstart all that.

3/3/2014 Related Story: Downtown Sand Springs To Get New Hotel

Danny Pfeifer has 32 years of business experience in Sand Springs. His Auto Body Shop sits directly across from where the new Holiday Inn Express will be built. It's just the latest phase in the RiverWest project; 30-acres of land ready to be developed.

"This community needs it real bad. It was industrial and there were a lot of problems. I think something needs to happen like that," Pfeifer said.

Construction on the 70-room hotel will begin in the spring and Sand Springs Mayor Mike Burdge, hopes it will be a catalyst for other development. He said the project, part of the 2025 plan for the city, hit some speed bumps thanks to the economy.

"We invited everybody from Chili's to Friday's," Burdge said.

Lowe's was even ready to go, but they dropped out, stalling the project. Burdge said Monday's Holiday Inn announcement has the project back on its feet.

"As it all starts, it will pick up some momentum and we will see some things going on here and have people say, ‘there's something going on here, I want to be a part of it,'" said Burdge.

A renewal of Main Street is part of the plan as well.

"A lot of cities are starting to see things pick up, and I'm hoping this will be a catalyst to continue to move this way," Pfeifer said.

Burdge said, "If it ever develops like what they're talking about, it will help the city. The city needs it."

Everyone is really excited to see this project starting. The hotel is expected to be open for business by the end of the year.