Fresno-Clovis area sees hotel building boom

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno-Clovis area is in the midst of a hotel building boom that will result in 2,000 more available rooms when current projects are complete.

Four new hotel properties have recently opened up. Eight more were either in the process of being built or planned.

Fresno-Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Layla Forstedt cited the area's high occupancy rate as one reason why more hotels were going up.

"In the 30 years of the hospitality industry for me, I've never seen an occupancy of 70% and that's every single motel average of every hotel-motel," Forstedt said.

In Clovis, the occupancy rate was even higher.

Clovis Economic Development Director Andy Haussler explained, "We've seen occupancy rates into the 90%, which basically means we are full and what we don't want to have is our town not being able to accommodate someone."

Action News caught up with Haussler across from Costco, where Hilton was building a new Home 2 Suites.

Down the way on Clovis Avenue, La Quinta has squeezed into a tight space by building up and opening a new hotel.

Crews were also preparing to build a new Courtyard Marriott on Shaw near the Sierra Vista Mall. Two other hotels are planned.

"With what we recently completed and the new rooms coming on-line it's about 532 additional rooms. That about doubles our hotel room count in Clovis," Haussler said.

Hyatt Place recently opened a brand new hotel not far from River Park. It is also located across from Kaiser Permanente.

The Valley has seen more people coming to various facilities for medical treatment. But local hotels have found sporting events fill rooms. The state track and field championships at Buchanan High resulted in 6,000 room nights alone.

"We're the only city that has three CIF events. That's track, swimming and diving and cross country," Forstedt said.

More visitors to our local national parks have been staying over in Fresno County.

Fresno has also seen a lot more business travelers so the new hotels offer the area rooms to grow.