Chester City officials gathered June 20 to mark the opening of the new Candlewood Suites at Third and Welsh streets, ending a decades-long absence of hotels in the downtown area, writes Colin Ainsworth for Delaware County News Network.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony by developer Sailesh “Sam” Patel and officials brought a two-year construction process and decade of planning to a close.

“The location was attractive because Kimberly-Clark was across the street … (Harrah’s) casino was in the area and chemical companies,” Patel, head of the Turnersville, N.J.-based VB Hospitality LLC, said.

Patel noted each of the industries draws guests or employees from out of state.

“We have a number of other developments which will bring in people doing construction, workforce development and new employees,” said Drake Nakaishi, executive director of the Chester Economic Development Authority.

The hotel site had been owned by the Chester Water Authority, and the Redevelopment Authority.  A tri-party agreement was reached in 2016, with groundbreaking in mid-June 2017 on the 89-room extended stay hotel.

Overflow parking will be provided in the adjoining city parking lot.

Ninety percent of the hotel employees will be city residents.

Read  more about the new hotel here.

[uam_ad id=”62465″]