Oct. 24–The Edmond Planning Commission approved 5-0 a site plan request for Home 2 Suites Hotel, proposed to be located on Meline Drive, south of Second Street and west of Interstate 35. Two lots remain in this Fountain Oaks Addition that would be suitable for a hotel, said Bob Schiermeyer, city planner.

HTS Hospitality LLC requested the site plan to accommodate a four-story Hilton Hotel product with 89 rooms on the 3.46-acre property. One parking space is planned for each of the rooms. Utility and drainage study requirements have been met.

“It’s my understanding they have worked on the landscaping (plan) quite a bit,” Schiermeyer said.

Setbacks include 185 feet from Meline Drive on the front, 140 feet to the north next to Fairfield Inn and 97 feet to the west and 120 feet to the south, Schiermeyer said. The exterior finish will match the Hampton Inn and Fairfield Inn materials, Schiermeyer said.

“They will be installing I-35 corridor signs at 25 feet tall, 60 square foot,” Schiermeyer said. “They would qualify. It’s not a variance but a standard sign.”

Action by the Planning Commission vote completed the item, said Barry Moore, chairman.

Youth sports, corporate and relocation interests will benefit greatly from the Hilton Hotel product, said Cathy Williams-White, director of the Edmond Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Home 2 Suites specializes as an extended stay property, meaning that clients who stay at the hotel in excess of 30 days would not be charged for the city’s 4-percent hotel lodging tax, she said. This tax is added is added to the city’s 3.75 percent tax when including the half-cent dedicated sales tax for the Public Safety Center. It is also added to the 4.50 percent state sales tax.

“It’s a good flag for us. It’s a good quality product, a little above mid-scale on it,” White said. “So it will fit with the quality that we already offer.”

Hilton has a strong reservation system to enhance marketing done by the Convention and Visitors Bureau, White said. It will also be helpful for the U.S. Senior Open coming to Oak Tree next summer, she added.

“They maintain a lot of contracts for traveling and entertainment groups,” she said.

The Champion Hotel ownership group also owns the Fairfield Inn & Suites Edmond and the Comfort Inn.

“They are a really good company for us,” she said.

jcoburn@edmondsun.com — 341-2121