A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday for a new Springhill Suites hotel in Frederica, south of Dover.
The 86-room hotel is part of the Asbury Square development. It is across Route 1 from the DE Turf outdoor athletic complex.
The hotel property is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.
It will be the lodging property near DE Turf, which hosts popular traveling team events.
The 86-room hotel will serve as a premier lodging option for those visiting Frederica. Its proximity to DE Turf gives visitors an opportunity to stay, shop, and dine closer to their tournaments and games than ever before.
The hotel is being developed by McDonald’s restaurant franchisee Michael Meoli.
DE Turf has been viewed as a way to grow tourism in the county following the decline of NASCAR race attendance at the Dover track.
Dover International Speedway lost one of its two NASCAR weekends to an affiliate track in Nashville.
Kent County has seen little new hotel construction. By contrast, nearby Sussex County is seeing a boom in construction in and near beach areas. The Frederica hotel is expected to benefit from beach overflow bus9ness.
“The vision, foresight, and determination that brought the DE Turf Sports Complex to life has now officially spawned the first of many support services that were designed within the Master Plan to boost the viability of the Turf and ultimately the economic growth and stability of Kent County,” Michael Meoli said. “I’m excited, confident, and proud to be principal owner of this hotel which I know will be the catalyst for smart and responsible development that will occur along this part of the Rt. 1 corridor over the next decade.”
“The new SpringHill Suites will offer guests expanded rooms and guest amenities and is the ideal lodging property to service the guests of DE Turf, Bayhealth hospital, and the many tourists who travel every day along the Rt. 1 corridor,” Meoli said.
