City's first chain hotel opens for private tour

Hampton Inn fulfills a five-year Dade City quest.

By HELEN ANNE TRAVIS, Times Staff Writer
Published August 16, 2007

DADE CITY - It was all "oohs" and "ahs" at the Hampton Inn soft opening Wednesday morning.

About a dozen people, including city commissioners, Realtors and members of the city's Chamber of Commerce, came for a private tour of Dade City's first chain hotel.

The building, at 13215 U.S. 301 south of downtown, has 64 rooms and multiple meeting areas. The hotel will employ 12 to 18 staff members. Prices start at $129 a night, and as of Wednesday afternoon the hotel had one reservation.

The tour members marveled at the flat-screen TVs and the exercise room. They admired the dark wood armoires and thick beige carpet.

Mainly, they were impressed that the Hampton Inn was finally open.

"It's been a long journey," said Piyush Mulji, who built the hotel.

In 2002, an analyst brought in by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce's economic development committee determined the area could support a 60-room hotel and could virtually guarantee a profit in the first year with an anticipated 68 percent occupancy rate.

The hotel could count on steady business from Saint Leo University, Pasco-Hernando Community College and area festivals.

Mulji, an Atlanta developer, was the first to approach the city about building the hotel. In 2004, he asked for $325,000 in tax incentives. Commissioners balked and offered him a $150,000 package. Commissioners hoped that the hotel would be completed in 2005.

But construction did not begin until July 2006. Mulji missed a deadline set by commissioners to close on the property, and another deadline to complete the project by September of that year.

Leonard Johnson, Mulji's attorney, told the commission the project was delayed by financing woes, a shortage of architects, and design tweaks required by Hampton Inn.

At each delay, the commission voted to extend Mulji's contract.

At Wednesday's opening, Mulji ended the tour in a spacious handicapped-accessible room. The tour members seemed impressed.

"It's very tastefully done," Realtor Pat German said.

The small crowd murmured in agreement.

Commissioner Scott Black said he was impressed with all the attention to detail.

"This is better than anyone expected," he said.

Helen Anne Travis can be reached at 352 521-6518 or htravis@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 15, 2007, 20:58:26]