NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Competition is beginning to get a new hotel built in Hutchinson.
"We have met with three, at least three, hotel developers recently," said Debra Teufel with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. "There's no secret that we have a shortage of hotel rooms to serve the events that come to Hutch."
These would be large properties, but wouldn't be as big as the Atrium was at its peak.
"Most of them include a hundred hotel rooms, hopefully some conference space and maybe a restaurant," Teufel said. "I think the product that Aaron Brooks is pitching is interesting. It's the first I'd heard about the amphitheater aspect of it. I'm looking forward to a follow up conversation with them, just to see what they have planned."
Infrastructure for the outdoor amphitheater was the subject of a request for ARPA funds filed as part of an agenda item Tuesday for the Reno County Commission, with Brooks, a local builder and former Great Bend City Administrator Howard Partington both named in that application. Teufel said there are a few possible sites in the city that could have the space all three potential developers are looking for.
"Either along the K-61 corridor, where our existing hotel base is now, as well as looking at, could there be a future for a hotel downtown? We'll probably talk about the master plan proposal on the table for downtown, to take a look at where the future development could lie there, as well as on our State Fairgrounds. I think any of those three general areas of Hutchinson. The hospital has some ground by Aldi, kind of behind Buffalo Wild Wings. There's some space there that I think, because of access and the amenities surrounding that and the restaurant connectivity, that could be an area that Aaron's looking at. I know that others have, as well."
The Chamber has said previously that it would likely be a couple of years from now before anything would be open and ready for guests.