BEAUMONT, Texas — There are new developments on the future of downtown Beaumont after Tuesday's city council meeting.
At the meeting, the city council unanimously voted to hire a development partner to move forward with plans for a hotel and convention center in downtown.
The council vote allows the city manager to enter into an agreement with Stonehenge, LLC, out of Sugar Land, to develop the project.
The hotel would be built on city property north of the Civic Center. The plans incorporate the land where the AT&T building once stood.
While it's clear the city is still in the early stages in the development process, Assistant City Manager Chris Boone says Stonehenge, LLC will be responsible for determining the cost and overall scope of how the hotel and convention center will be built.
Boone says negotiations will soon be underway to find out the cost of the project, construction expenses, the possible brand of the hotel and the number of rooms it could hold.
Boone also tells 12News the preliminary process with Stonehenge, LLC could take anywhere from 90 to 120 days, pending further research from a third party before a final 'yes or no' decision can be made by the city.
The city might be making that decision within the coming months, according to Boone.
"There'll be discussions as you get into a deal this size, it may take a little longer but the reality is the the the idea is to go or no go, probably within the next hopefully four to five months," Boone said.
Beaumont mayor, Roy West was pleased to finally get the ball rolling on the development of downtown Beaumont.
He says the hotel and convention center could go hand in hand with the possible addition of the Battleship Texas, in bringing significant growth to the city.
"I've reached out to the Battleship Texas foundation since Galveston has decided at this point not to proceed, so I'm waiting to hear back from them, I certainly think it's worth pursuing," said West.
The city expects Stonehenge, LLC to study the market and come up with a design proposal for a hotel. This would include a cost estimate and even a financing plan.
The city hopes to get a report from the development company in the next few months.
Included in the city's plans for the project are...
- 175 guestrooms
- A 14,000 sq. ft. ballroom
- Meeting spaces
- Parking, including a parking structure
In February 2024, the city shared renderings that show the five ideas for a hotel and conference center in downtown. All of the renderings have four essential components. These include...
- A hotel tower
- Convention center
- Meeting space
- Parking structure
