The city of Natchitoches will finish site preparation work this month as construction begins on an 87-room hotel.
The $9.9 million Chateau Saint Denis went through a series of financing setbacks. But the city’s economic development director Randy LaCaze says the hotel is now on the fast track. It will go up in front of the Natchitoches Events Center on Front Street. LaCaze expects its will be open in November.
“While it might be considered a soft opening and being cautious not to run 100 percent occupancy while everybody is learning the system and training, they still hate to miss the Christmas season of 2015,” LaCaze said.
There are about 60 rooms downtown between a boutique hotel and the bed and breakfasts. Not enough during festival season, according to LaCaze. The city signed a deal with New Orleans hotel developer Warren Reuther who also runs the conference center and hotel complex in Natchez, Mississippi.
Reuther did not respond to an interview request. LaCaze says with his firm’s marketing ability, Natchitoches will be able to bring in a lot more conferences.
“He’s got a very, very good marketing team that does this in New Orleans and Natchez. We believe that’s going to then start growing the use of our Natchitoches Events Center and certainly fully support this hotel as well as all the other hotels at the interstate,” LaCaze said.
Last year, the Natchitoches City Council approved issuing $2 million in taxable revenue notes to help finance the project. Located in an economic development district, LaCaze says profits that would normally pay for property taxes will retire the city’s debt in about 15 years. Some city streets are now closed to traffic due to construction.
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