A new hotel near
Arundel Mills could begin a $25 million expansion in a couple of years to meet the demand for rooms the owners expect once a slots casino opens.
The 150-room
Hotel at Arundel Preserve could add another 100 rooms, says hotel General Manager Jeff Makhlouf. Construction would not begin until 2012.
The expansion would occur in a lot next to the boutique hotel.
Makhlouf describes the property as a “unique” product in an area that holds largely chain brands. The rooms are about two-thirds full now, but Makhlouf expects occupancy to hit 85 percent once the Cordish Co. builds its casino and entertainment complex next year.
If it doesn’t expand the hotel, developer Southern Management will build a Class A office building instead, Makhlouf says. It depends on whether it can get an anchor tenant to occupy the first few floors of the building.
The Vienna, Va., company is now conducting a feasibility study to determine the best use.
The Hotel at Arundel Preserve is part of a $150 million development that includes 242 apartments and several restaurants. The 156-seat
Grillfire restaurant opened in July. Indian restaurant Rangoli will open in the next couple of months.
Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Jeff Makhlouf, Hotel at Arundel Preserve