MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Ground broke this week to start the construction of a new nearly 100-room hotel coming to downtown Maryville.
Developer Sandip Patel, owner of Devi Capital, said he hopes the new hotel can give people the same opportunities he had in the hospitality industry.
Patel, of Morristown, has been working in the hotel industry since the 1990s.
"I started out my career as an employee," he said. "In hotels and restaurants. So, now I wanted to turn around and give back to the community of folks that's growing up (in East Tennessee.) I would like to be able to provide them a job."
It's going to take more than a year to develop the Holiday Inn Downtown in Maryville, which is located just steps from the Capitol Theatre. Devi Capital is developing lodging across the region, as far north as the Tri-Cities area.
"So I have a project under development in Johnson City, downtown Johnson City," Patel said. "I also have a project coming up in downtown Bristol. I have a project coming up in Kingsport. I also have a project coming up and Morristown. So lots of things are happening."
Patel said he's had his eye on bringing a hotel to downtown Maryville, and that people who are already in the area will be able to enjoy its amenities like the rooftop bar.
"With Maryville College, Pellissippi State campus, and also there's a huge medical facility in Maryville, there's a lot of industry," Patel said. "So I think overall, it's going to be a tremendous game changer for downtown Maryville."