New plans revealed for downtown hotel

The weather outside may be cool, but development in the downtown area continues to heat up.

Wednesday CN Hotels revealed plans for a new 7 story, 125-room Courtyard Marriott Hotel at the corner of Second and Grace.

The company will break ground in May or June and plans to have the hotel completed by the summer of 2010. Cape Fear Visitors Bureau President, Kim Huffham, said it is perfect timing. “I think with the convention center, and all the new development that’s going on downtown it’ll be an asset, give us additional rooms that will be needed during that time, as well as bring tourists downtown for the riverfront and the historic district,” she said.

The hotel will cost between fourteen and fifteen million dollars to build. Even with several hotels right down the street, and others in the planning stages.

CN representatives believe the Courtyard name will make the hotel competitive.