HANOVER TWP., LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — A new hotel proposed for Lehigh Valley International Airport looks to be getting more rooms than initially planned.
Officials at the airport said in June that they anticipated a 125-room, four-story Courtyard by Marriott hotel to open on its property late in 2025.
Plans before the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday showed the hotel is set to be constructed in two phases — one with 145 rooms and a later addition with 28 more rooms.
The grand total at 3311 Airport Road would be a 26,464-square-foot hotel with 173 rooms.
Plans are yet to be publicly reviewed or voted on by Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.
The LVPC noted that Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority public bus transportation already services the project site with an existing nearby bus stop.
The planning commission also recommended an extension to existing pavement-marked pedestrian networks be added leading from the hotel to create clear walkways between the hotel, bus stop and airport.
Also recommended was adding at least one oversized parking space because of the proximity to Route 22.
The plans will be reviewed by the full LVPC at 7 p.m. Thursday before a likely appearance between the airport authority.
Potential for more
Airport Executive Director Thomas Stoudt said in June that while there have been no discussions with other hotel chain owners beyond Marriott setting up shop at the airport, he left open the possibility.
“I think there’s demand for more hotel space here,” Stoudt said. “I think there’s certainly potential. But at this point, you know, there hasn’t been.”Airport Executive Director Thomas Stoudt
“I think there’s demand for more hotel space here,” Stoudt said. “I think there’s certainly potential. But at this point, you know, there hasn’t been.”
The airport authority last year approved a $3 hotel privilege fee that would be added to the price of a hotel room at the airport, which will apply to rooms at the Marriott.
This fee is anticipated to increase for the first five years, and increase every 10 years thereafter based on the consumer price index.
Officials at the airport say they anticipate high occupancy rates for a hotel in the area, and that building a hotel near LVIA has been a goal since 2018.
A nonprofit developer, Provident Resources Group, will own the hotel and lease from the airport ground until the project is paid off, after which ownership will cede to the airport — in about 40 years, according to airport estimations.
