City of Bellefontaine and Logan County officials join together with Cobblestone Hotel representatives and others to shovel the ceremonial first scoops of dirt at the Bellefontaine Cobblestone Hotel site Monday. (EXAMINER PHOTO | Mandy Loehr)
Anticipation was in the air Monday, Nov. 6, as community members, local investors and city and county officials gathered to commemorate the groundbreaking of a four-story, 80-room Cobblestone Hotel to be situated at U.S. Routes 33 and 68 next to the Mary Rutan Health Center.
“This must be like what the tuba player feels like before they go out on the field to dot the ‘i’ in Script Ohio,” hotel investment group signing member and former city Service-Safety Director Jim Holycross said to the crowd.
“It’s exciting to know that not long from now, the new hotel will be springing up in this field behind me, and then we’ll be back here to celebrate its grand opening.
“You won’t be disappointed. This is going to be a wonderful addition to our community.”
Cobblestone Hotel representative Jeremy Griesbach noted that the company, based in Neenah, Wis., includes 172 hotels in 29 states.
“We’re very grateful to be here,” he said. “This hotel will be our first Main Street prototype in Ohio. The hotel also will incorporate local artwork into the guest rooms and the lobby, to help incorporate the local history here.
“We’re looking forward to being a part of the community.”
The new hotel will feature a mix of king and queen studios and suites, extended stay options, a swimming pool, 50-60 seat conference room, breakfast room, exercise room, laundry facilities and an outdoor patio.
The vision for a hotel at this site dates back to 2016, when an initial feasibility study was conducted by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce and Mary Rutan Hospital.
However, it wasn’t until after the opening of a Cobblestone Hotel in Urbana in the summer of 2020 that momentum picked up for seeing a similar model built in Logan County.
“The studies showed that not having these hotels, meant incredible amounts of economic benefit were leaving Logan County for Marysville, Dublin, Sidney and Springfield,” Logan County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Ben Vollrath said, noting that a hotel had not broken ground in Logan County since the early 1990s.
“The estimated lost revenue to our community was more than $15 million over a five-year period.”
Mary Rutan Hospital President/CEO Chad Ross explained that the hospital acquired this land where the former Holiday Inn once stood back in 2015. The Mary Rutan Health Center opened to the community at 1134 N. Main St. in 2018, and now this 2.6 acre parcel next to it at 171 Dowell Ave. will be home to the Cobblestone Hotel.
“The former Holiday Inn was just a pile of rubble when we acquired the land. We wanted to be an economic driver to and to bring some things to this side of Logan County,” Ross said.
“We saw in our own business where professionals would be visiting the area, but then would leave our area to stay to the east, as far away as Dublin.
“I want to thank our board of directors for this vision for the hospital to contribute this land as an investor in the project.”
With Cobblestone as a partner, the Bellefontaine investment group gradually formed and documents were formally executed at the beginning of March. The investment group is comprised of predominately Logan County residents and business owners, plus the owners of Cobblestone Hotels, LLC. Financing is provided by Richwood Bank.
Chad Hoffman, Richwood Bank president and CEO, congratulated the partners in the project on overcoming the many challenges set in their way.
“This is a project that we’re excited about. It exemplifies the tenacity and spirit of the community. When the big (hotel) chains didn’t come knocking at your door, you created your own door.
“It’s not just a place for travelers to rest their heads. It’s going to breathe new life into the community, into the local businesses, restaurants and tourist spots.”
Janice Tata, a company representative was instrumental in facilitating the project formation and educating the community about the hotel brand and its three divisions, Cobblestone (the franchise), BriMark Builders (the construction company), and SHG management (professional property management).
Bellefontaine Mayor Ben Stahler and other speakers also expressed appreciation to the Bellefontaine City Council for their efforts to help streamline the project through passing the tax abatement and bed tax measures.
Holycross thanked all of the “people with a can-do attitude and forward-looking individuals” who have come on board to propel the hotel initiative forward.
“This long overdue, badly-needed project will be a great asset to Bellefontaine and the greater Logan County region and will be something the community can be proud of,” he said.
“Citizens, business people, and travelers alike will all feel good about having a great place to stay and will augment the energy of this thriving community. Thanks to Cobblestone Hotels and Brimark Builders for seeing the need and helping us get this project underway.”
