THE RIDER FILE PHOTO
Last Tuesday, the Brownsville City Commission voted to approve a funding agreement for a new full-service Hilton Garden Inn near the city’s upcoming West Rail Trail project.
Pineapple RE Holdings LP, the operator of the project, proposed a five-story, 150 room, full-service hotel equipped with a restaurant, bar, spa, gym, swimming pool, sundry shop and Wi-Fi, on West Morrison Road.
Brownsville currently levies a 7% local Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) on the amount paid for a hotel room.
The approved funding agreement will require the city to reimburse Pineapple RE the HOT tax for the next 10 years without exceeding $4 million, according to agenda documents.
The project, set to begin construction in the latter part of 2022, is estimated to cost $27 million and create 65 jobs once fully operational.
While the majority of the commission was on board with Pineapple RE’s plans, Commissioner at Large “B” Rose Gowen was hesitant to approve the funding agreement due to the hotel’s close proximity to the West Rail Trail Project.
As previously reported by The Rider, the West Rail Trail Project aims to construct a 22-foot-wide, dual-purpose concrete hike-and-bike trail from an abandoned railroad alignment in Brownsville.
Gowen’s concern with the hotel is that it will cause congestion in the area for bikers and asked that the operator factor in the West Rail Trail when placing the parking lot.
