Official: Springhill Suites at MAC

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:34 am

Daily Nonpareil wrote:Construction of an indoor water and hotel complex in southwest Council Bluffs that would create at least 100 new local jobs should begin in about 90 days, the developer said.

"We're looking forward to it," said Chuck Mackey, president of Capital Management Inc. of Overland Park, Kan. "We're excited, and hopefully people will come and enjoy our facilities."

His firm has reached an agreement with the Southwest Iowa Foundation to purchase the ground where the complex is to be built and begin the construction process, Mackey said.

"We anticipate closing on the ground in the next 90 days, and we would then begin the construction," Mackey said.

Both the water park and the hotel would be completed in early 2006, he said.

The size of the complex should be about 40,000 square feet, with the total cost in the range of $25 million, he said.

It's to be located south of where the Mid-America Center is located and west of the Bass Pro Shops facility that's currently under construction.

"The water park will primarily be indoors, but would have outdoor amenities and other recreational opportunities," he said. "We plan on having the latest, greatest amenities. There will be a lot of the same features people run into elsewhere."

The complex will also include a Marriott hotel with 150 to 200 rooms with some banquet and meeting rooms, he said.

At least 100 new jobs would be created from this project, he said. These would include administrative and sales positions, program directors, lifeguards for the water park, guest room attendants and more, he said.

"We would like to pursue all those jobs in the area," Mackey said.

He liked what was happening in that part of the city for choosing Council Bluffs for the project, Mackey said.

"I like the Mid-America Center and the recreational opportunities developing there, and the interstate exposure is important," he said.

Mackey praised city officials for their efforts to bring the project.

"The people in Council Bluffs were easy to work with," he said. "They were diligent in making it happen."

John Burns, Iowa West Foundation president, said, "I think it's a good enhancement to the area. I'm sure they will be a good partner to the Mid-America Center, the Bass Pro Shops and the entertainment theaters there and the casinos. It's going to be a good fit."

More good news for the MAC area and the metro.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:07 pm

That was fast.

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:15 pm

The Water Park is fantastic, and a two hundred room hotel is a big deal as well. Congratulations CB.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:42 pm

DTO Luv wrote:That was fast.

Fast? If only you knew how long the Marriot has been in the works for down there......

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:26 pm

"The water park will primarily be indoors, but would have outdoor amenities and other recreational opportunities," he said. "We plan on having the latest, greatest amenities. There will be a lot of the same features people run into elsewhere."

By this I would guess it will be like the great wolf lodge in KC?

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:39 pm

It will be pretty amazing to see all the new construction going on down there this summer... Marriot/Waterpark, Bass Pro, and Horseshoe casino all at the same time! Good job CB!

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:36 pm

Wow, they even landed a Marriott. That will be the metro's third Marriott hotel.....should have been the fourth! (haha, lol).

Anyway, great for CB. A hotel/entertainment development like this can only spawn further development in the MAC vicinity.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:57 pm

Awsome news. Great for CB and the metro!

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:06 pm

This is definitely great news for CB. I can't wait to see all the new construction work and progress being made there as mentioned above. 3 large projects all at once. The Marriot hotel could also possibly be the 2nd largest in the city.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:18 pm

This seems like DTO about three years ago.

It will be pretty amazing to see all the new construction going on down there this summer... Marriot/Waterpark, Bass Pro, and Horseshoe casino all at the same time! Good job CB!

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:44 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Wow, they even landed a Marriott. That will be the metro's third Marriott hotel.....should have been the fourth! (haha, lol).

Our third? Isn't this our second? I don't believe there are any other full-service Marriots in the area besides Regency. Unless you're talking about all the different Marriot brands like Courtyard, Fairfield, and whatnot together. Then we have at least four.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:55 pm

I thought I had read where this would be a Renaissance Hotel (Marriott brand), but darned if I can find it now.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:50 pm

The Marriot hotel could also possibly be the 2nd largest in the city.

Second largest -Marriott- perhaps. The Regency Mariott has 300 rooms... the Courtyard 180. Hilton and Doubletree both have over 400 rooms. There are numerous hotels in the metro with over.

I'm ecstatic to see the area around the MAC starting to take off! I assume everyone has noticed the semi trailer parked along I-80 with Bass Pro Shops 'coming soon' art work gracing it's sides.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:20 pm

^

He might have meant 2nd largest in CB.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:58 pm

I can't imagine what a bottleneck I-80 will be through there. Hope the widening of the interchange comes first.

CountOfMC · Post by **CountOfMC** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:42 pm

projectman wrote:Hope the widening of the interchange comes first.

Haha.. what hope? Dear Lord..

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:47 pm

He might have meant 2nd largest in CB.

Oh duh. That would be the city wouldn't it. Seems like there's another hotel with over 200 rooms in CB though besides Harvey's (don't think Ameristar is that big though is it?). The current MAC 'anchor' is a bit of a disappointment.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:46 pm

jhuston wrote:I'm ecstatic to see the area around the MAC starting to take off! I assume everyone has noticed the semi trailer parked along I-80 with Bass Pro Shops 'coming soon' art work gracing it's sides.

This???

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:14 pm

Would that be a Bass SEMI-Pro Shop??

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:30 pm

Some more photos...

And Famous Dave's is open... drawing a decent lunch crowd.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:17 pm

Looks Like Famous Dave's is open. Supposedly the largest restaurant in the entire chain, and a new concept for them. I will have to check it out.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:40 am

And in staying off-topic,

I noticed in driving by the site today that they had a large pile driver set up to start driving pilings for the new Bass Pro Shops. Gawd, I love construction sites!

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:40 pm

Water Park takes one more step to reality....

Daily Nonpareil wrote:The Council Bluffs City Council Monday night approved the final plat for a proposed hotel and water park near the Mid-America Center.

The size of the complex should be about 40,000 square feet, with the total cost estimated at about $25 million.

It's to be located south of the Mid-America Center and west of the Bass Pro Shops facility that's currently under construction.

With the council's action, construction on the project can now begin. The developer, Capital Management Inc. of Overland Park, Kan., hopes to have it completed in early 2006.

The water park will be primarily indoors, but will have outdoor amenities and other recreational opportunities. The complex will include a Marriott hotel with 150 to 200 rooms, including some banquet and meeting rooms.

At least 100 new jobs will be created from the project, Capital officials said.

Sodak · Post by **Sodak** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:10 pm

From what I have heard, the hotel will not be a full-service Marriott. I was told by people working on the project that it will be a SpringHill Suites, one of the Marriott family of brands. That may have changed though.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:09 pm

Spring Hill Suites, eh? That would make more sense than what I thought I heard/read, and would fit in nicely with the type of draw the developers down there are trying to achieve.

Ingersoll1978 · Post by **Ingersoll1978** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:07 am

It is a Springhill Suites. It will have 160 rooms and be 6 stories tall.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:11 am

And 35,000 sq feet of waterpark... that compares favorably to Overland Park's Great Wolf Lodge (billed as one of the 'worlds largest indoor water park'

) at 38,000 sq feet.

Our own DLR Group will be doing the design work.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:46 pm

http://www.dlrgroup.com/home.htm

They do some cool projects!

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:00 pm

Well, this long road is finally drawing to an end, but alas, no mention of a waterpark with this hotel now. Bummer.....

Officials approve Marriott hotel plan

I did notice yesterday that they had put up their sign announcing "Coming Soon" facing the interstate.

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:04 pm

Well there's chamber of commerce reporting for you. Why in the world wouldn't a Nonpareil reporter ask about and report on the status of the waterpark element??

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:12 am

Then there's the 'burn the chamber of commerce' World Herald, which runs a story on nothing but the absence of the waterpark.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=163 ... nd=4737464

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:54 am

After reading both of those pieces..

It looks like a classic case of journalism 'good cop, bad cop' to me..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 11:17 am

This is why I like having a hand full of water park plans around the metro. It REALY increases the odds of one BEING BUILT.

michaelsjewel · Post by **michaelsjewel** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:41 pm

wow - built and completed in time for summer - this should be fun - i'll have to visit this summer ;)

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:10 am

An update from today's W-H:

'A new Marriott hotel received City Council approval Monday, but not before council members expressed disappointment that plans for an indoor water park have not developed.

However, the City Council told developer Capital Management Inc. of Overland Park, Kan., that it should not abandon its earlier plans for an adjacent water park.'..

The story link:

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2095993

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:04 pm

Daily Nonpareil link:

New hotel approved, but still no water park

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:42 pm

Slipped my mind to update this thread. Work has been ongoing for the past week on-site. Busting up the street that was to go around the second phase the The Plaza and putting in infrastructure needs.

There's also been some tree clearing on one of the adjoining lots - not sure if that means something is in the pipe or if the developer finally figured out that clearing the trees in the middle of the lot would make the lot look bigger and easier to sell/lease to prospective retail/dining/entertainment establishments.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:40 am

Construction has been going at a steady pace, with the main floor slab finished up recently. But, yesterday marked the beginning of real construction - vertical! Framing work is starting, so we should have a good sense of the size of this hotel shortly.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:53 am

Man, what happened to this and some other threads? There were a few more recent posts that have vanished.....

Anyway, update on this project - framing is complete, exterior work is progressing with roofing materials going up this week. The indoor pool is now officially dead - at least for now - as the investment group that held the option on the land adjacent to the hotel chose not to renew their option last month.