COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Metropolitan Airport is collaborating with Colliers International, a property management company, to build a four-story hotel.
The building will cover four acres of land and include 150 guest rooms. The new hotel aims to boost flights and attract more businesses to the airport area.
"We can, we can be talking in a year about starting construction, I don't know," Alia Bostaji said. "It depends on the contractor or the developer that we find or like the developer that is interested in the project. When do they want to start the process?"
Bostaji, the spokesperson for Colliers International, said the airport conducted studies to bring the hotel to the area.
"The beautification of the drive from the highway to the airport, which is, I think the city of West Columbia is committed for that project in the next year or so," she said. "So that is going to be a bonus."
Bostaji said it's unknown whether the hotel will be a Hilton or Marriott—but she confirms the potential building will feature direct access to the airport and terminals and have a rooftop bar.
"The restaurant and the rooftop bar will be ... the main amenities, and I think would be a meeting area for maybe like a training/meeting room, training facility, something like that, that could be incorporated to help facilitate events,” Bostaji said.
Some residents say they are excited about the opportunity of a new hotel.
"I think that it would be a good idea to have a hotel near the airport versus having to travel out into the city to find a hotel," one resident said. "So, I think it would be a good thing for the city."
Others, like Clinton Seawright, say they are worried the new expansion will cause too much traffic.
“I think a lot of people will complain about the traffic because you have the schools right there, and then you’ve got the rehab habilitation center there, but I mean if they add more stop lights and signs, it will be okay,” Seawright said.
The project is still in the planning stages and could take up to two years before construction begins.