THOMASVILLE, GA (WTXL) - Deals for a new hotel and parking garage in downtown Thomasville fell through on Friday, though both the developer and the city said their discussions ended peacefully.
Earlier this year, JWM Ventures sent a proposal the City of Thomasville for the building of a hotel and parking garage on Crawford Street in the downtown area.
The City said that developers suggested that the hotel be moved the another potential City project, the event center.
“The feasibility study the City received indicated that on-site accommodations greatly influence the success of event centers. In fact, the study stated that only 8 percent of event centers without on-site accommodations are successful,” said City Manager and Utilities Superintendent Steve Sykes.
As a result, discussions about the construction of a hotel on the event center's premises began. However, both parties said they could not reach an agreement that could work for the both of them.
“The City and JWM looked at a number of options for developing the hotel, parking garage and event center, but in the end, we were unable to find a mutually beneficial solution for the development. Even though our discussions were unsuccessful, we appreciate Mr. McDonald’s diligence in seeking a successful partnership,” Sykes said.
However, the City said that it still planned to still pursue the development of the event center.
“The City is committed to providing the community with an event center in downtown Thomasville, and because of the recommendations in the feasibility study, we would like to see the project move forward with accommodations on the event center site. We will begin discussions with other developers about the possibility of hotel development at the event center,” Sykes explained.
