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Builder says area ready for new hotel
By BRADY DENNIS, Times Staff Writer ZEPHYRHILLS -- Visitors to Zephyrhills need another place to lay their heads. At least that's what Jay Jivan is counting on. Jivan has his sights set on building a 72-room, $3-million Quality Inn & Suites in Zephyrhills this year. If all goes as planned, he also wants to build another hotel -- possibly a Comfort Inn -- in Dade City. "Zephyrhills is growing significantly right now," Jivan said Tuesday. "Right now we have only the Best Western, which is 30 years old." Jivan, a 22-year resident of east Pasco, is no stranger to the hotel business in the area. He said he owned the Rainbow Motel in Dade City before taking over as general manager at the Holiday Inn Express in Wesley Chapel. Jivan said he and a small group of investors plan to build the Quality Inn & Suites just off U.S. 301, across from Unity Lanes Bowling Alley at 6816 Gall Blvd. He said the hotel would include a conference room, an exercise center and a continental breakfast area. However, the project isn't a done deal. Water and sewer connection fees and city impact fees for building in Zephyrhills would amount to almost $150,000, Jivan said at a City Council meeting Monday. By comparison, Jivan said he could save a significant chunk of money by building outside the city. In addition, Dade City charges far less than either Zephyrhills or the county, Jivan said, though he said land prices are higher there. An ordinance allows the city to reduce or waive the fees if a hotel project includes at least 100 rooms, said City Manager Steve Spina. But Jivan said he doesn't think a hotel with that many rooms could do steady business. He urged city officials to consider helping him out, pointing out that the hotel could employ as many as 30 people during the peak season. He also said the city would benefit from a higher tax base and the growth that would come from the hotel. Council members said they would try to help Jivan any way they could short of altering an existing ordinance. Jivan said he will close on the property April 9. If all goes well, he hopes to break ground sometime in April, although he said it may be later. He said the hotel likely would take about eight months to build.
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From today's Pasco Times |
