Hotel group still waiting on IHG approval

<p dir="ltr"><span>The waiting game continues for the Chester Hotel Group.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>As Mother Nature slowly reclaims the site of the future Holiday Inn Express on Lehmen Drive, Chester Hotel Group partner James Best told the Herald Tribune the group is still waiting on design alterations to be approved by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>IHG owns the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"We had to redesign the HVAC system and we're just in the delay process," Best said. "Nothing negative, nothing project-stopping. Typical delays."</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Best told the newspaper in March he hoped to have the hotel complete by July 1 in time for the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Grand American in August</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>With only the installation of utilities and a retaining wall completed thus far, that deadline is no longer realistic.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"The hotel is going to be built on its own time, not mine," Best said. "I have no idea whatsoever."</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>The hotel group held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $5 million, three-story hotel in September of last year, with the goal of being open by April 2016.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>The 65-bed hotel would include an indoor pool, convention center and workout facility. It would create 12 or 13 permanent jobs, plus two or three part-time jobs.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Also included on the property would be a 50' X 100' detached restaurant. Best previously said the restaurant would not be a chain restaurant and The Chester Hotel Group would be leasing the building out.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Lebanon (Ill.)-based VIP Remodeling and Construction is the general contractor on the project, with management to be undertaken by Keller Enterprises of Effingham.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>As a future owner, Best said he went to a Holiday Inn seminar in March to get more experience into what that life is like.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"It was fascinating," he said. "I met a lot of people who have been in the hotel business for a long time and met a guy who was building his first one."</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Best was asked how long it would take contractors to return to the site once approval has been granted.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"We've got everybody lined up as soon as we get the go-ahead," Best said. "It will take less than 36 hours to bring the contractors on site.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"They're working different jobs because we're not, but we've got materials in place."</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>Best noted that the situation is "in IHG's hands now."</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"They have to approve some changes and there's a lot of hotels being built across the country right now," Best said. "Between 200 and 250 a day are being opened across the nation.</span>

<p dir="ltr"><span>"I can't tell you we're going to start in two weeks, a month or tomorrow. It is going to go up, but I have no idea on the timeframe."</span>