MARYVILLE, Tenn. — A parking lot in downtown Maryville won't be empty much longer.
An East Tennessee development firm is building a Holiday Inn Downtown hotel in that space, located at 202 West Broadway Avenue. A groundbreaking for the hotel is planned for March 5.
Developer Devi Capital is based out of Morristown, and the owner, Sandip Patel, said he's wanted to build in Maryville for a while.
Patel's lived in Morristown since the mid-1990s and said he grew up in the hotel industry. He's drawing on that experience for the venture in Maryville.
"You kind of have a feeling of where to build and (what) to build," Patel said. "I've had my eyes on Maryville's downtown for a while."
The hotel will have 98 rooms and take advantage of the scenery in Maryville.
"It's a downtown Holiday Inn with a rooftop bar," Patel said.
He said the hotel will be built from the ground up and will be the first name-brand hotel in Maryville, Tennessee.
He also said the construction would take time, adding he estimates it will be complete in 16 to 18 months.
Devi Capital is developing several hotels in East Tennessee, including a TownePlace Suites in Kingsport, a TownePlace Suites in Bristol, a Staybridge Suites in Sevierville and a Tapestry by Hilton Downton in Johnson City.