Retreat Hotels & Resorts (“Retreat”), The Axia Hotel Group (“Axia”), and Leon N. Weiner & Associates, Inc. (“LNWA”) announced the grand opening of the new Fairfield Inn & Suites in Middletown, DE. The opening was marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by US Senator Chris Coons and Middletown Mayor Ken Branner.
Construction on the 90-key hotel began in early 2021, and the hotel formally opened its doors in September of this year. The project brought more than $10 million of investment into the community, with more than 75% of the contractors and subcontractors coming from Delaware. The hotel is expected to generate more than $3 million in annual direct economic activity in Middletown, and employs 26 associates, most of whom live in Middletown.
The hotel features an indoor pool, a large fitness center, along with a unique outdoor patio that includes seating for dining and a firepit, surrounded by attractive landscaping, to create a serene and inviting experience. The hotel is the only Marriott hotel within a 15-mile radius and sits in close proximity to the 301 bypass and Route 1. Guests are able to enjoy numerous amenities surrounding the hotel, with Texas Roadhouse, Metro Diner, Red Robin, Walmart, and the Westown Movie Theatre a short walk away.
In addition to Retreat, Axia, and LNWA, the development and construction team consisted of Lighthouse Construction, Moonlight Architecture, Bakhsh Civil Engineering, and Network Hospitality. Financing for the project was provided by WSFS Bank.
“Retreat Hotels & Resorts, Axia Hotel Group, and Leon N. Weiner and Associates have a great record, and I know their new hotel will create new jobs and strengthen the local economy,” said US Senator Chris Coons. “I also couldn’t be prouder of JJ Singh, who has seized the idea that a hotel is a place of opportunity and possibility, and helped make it available to others. After meeting with the workers who built this hotel and the dedicated staff who will oversee its smooth operation, I’m confident these men and women are taking advantage of that possibility being found right here in Middletown.”
“I’m delighted to have our third hotel here in Middletown,” said Middletown Mayor Ken Branner. “We have experienced strong growth and we welcome this beautiful new Marriott. Congratulations to the teams at Retreat, LNWA, and Axia.”
“We are pleased to open this Fairfield by Marriott hotel in Middletown. We’ve long seen the promise of Middletown and our hotel is right in the middle of the action. We are grateful to Marriott International and all of our partners, as well as Senator Coons and Mayor Branner for their support and encouragement in bringing this to life,” said JJ Singh, President of Retreat Hotels & Resorts, operator the hotel.
“This hotel is the next great addition to our portfolio,” said Tom Kramedas, President of Axia Management, asset manager of the hotel. “We have been in Middletown since 2006 and operated the Hampton Inn, as well as many other hotels across Delaware. This new hotel is perfectly situated and a nice addition to the market.”
“LNWA has been in Middletown for more than 35 years with two apartment complexes,” said Kevin Kelly, Chairman of LNWA, investor member in the hotel. “This new Marriott hotel in Middletown is a nice compliment to our portfolio and a continuation of our long-term relationship with the town.”
Guests and the public can learn more about the hotel by visiting www.fairfieldmiddletown.com.
About Senator Chris Coons
Chris has spent his career in the Senate focused on working across the aisle to get things done for the people of Delaware. In recent years, the Bipartisan Policy Center recognized Chris for his commitment to bipartisanship and awarded him its Legislative Action Award and the independent congressional tracking website GovTrack ranked Chris in the top three most productive Senators of both parties.
Chris serves on the Senate Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Ethics committees. He is the chair of the Ethics Committee and the senior Democrat on two subcommittees: The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and Law and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS).
For more information, please visit: https://www.coons.senate.gov/about
About Mayor Ken Branner
Kenneth L. Branner, Jr., was elected Mayor of the Town of Middletown on March 6, 1989. While at the helm of the mid-state town, the population has grown from 3,800 in 1989 to 23,000 today. Key accomplishments achieved by the town during his tenure have been: construction of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility and electric substation in 2000, to be able to handle the future infrastructural growth; formation of the Middletown Police Department in 2007; and unprecedented economic development growth with big employers Clarios (Johnson Controls), Amazon.com, Bayhealth, Christiana Care, Encompass Health and Datwyler in the past decade.
A lifelong Middletown resident, he attended East Carolina University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Today, he is the Director of Development for Artesian Water Co. In 2007, he retired as a chemist with the DuPont Co. after 40 years of service. Prior to becoming Mayor, he was a member of the Town’s Planning and Zoning Commission for 10 years, eight years as its chair. In his free time, he serves on the board of directors of the M.O.T. Senior Center and for the M.O.T. Little League as treasurer. On the state level, he has served on the Board of Directors for the Delaware League of Local Governments for 12 years, two years as its President. He has also coached and served on the board for the M.O.T. Youth Football League. He served as Chief of the Volunteer Hose Company for four years and is a Life Member of the department. He and his wife Nancy have two grown children and four granddaughters.
For more information, please visit: https://www.middletown.delaware.gov/meet-the-mayor
