Texas-based firm hopeful two-hotel, restaurant deal will pass

K Partners Hospitality Group, the San Antonio-based hotel development group, said Wednesday that its interest is ongoing in developing a $20 million two-hotel and restaurant project adjacent to the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.

“We’re doing what we need to do to finalize the project,” said a representative from K Partners (who asked not to be identified) at the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority’s monthly meeting in the Terrebonne Parish Government Tower. “Everything is lining up.”

“We’re committed to making it work,” he said. “It’s up to the council to authorize the agreement.”

The Terrebonne Parish Council’s Community Development & Planning Committee will discuss the hotel development at its regular meeting, April 23.

K Partners wants to buy six acres of parish-owned land by the civic center to build a 90-room Marriott SpringHill Suites, the representative said.

A 115-room Hilton Garden Inn would follow as part of a “phased” development, but the group would like “to do them both at the same time,” he said.

Although the SpringHill Suites may contain a buffet-style eatery, the representative said, “Restaurants like to nuzzle up to these (hotels). Hopefully we could attract the right kind of restaurant.”

TEDA’s President Henry Richard expressed some concern that “if you (K Partners) buy” the land, and “the market study is not favorable,” Terrebonne Parish should “not miss the opportunity.”

The K Partners representative replied, “Most developers will go through a similar process. We have a proven track record.”

“We do a ton of due diligence,” he said. “It’s safe to say the market is here.”

“Your community has a great feel to it,” he said. “We like the corporate base.”

The representative warned, however, that “things in the lodging business can change.”

Earlier in the meeting, Richard had said, “We’re excited the civic center will make a difference.”

Later, the representative said that it is “discourag[ing]” when “Houma has regional conventions, the hotels are three-and-a-half miles from the Civic Center,” referring to the current location of most lodges in the Houma area.

The Terrebonne Parish Council, at its regular Nov. 29 meeting last year, approved a sales agreement with the Birmingham-based hotel developer Integral Hospitality Solutions to buy 3.65 acres of parish-owned land at the same site adjacent to the Civic Center to build a 125-room Hilton Garden Inn, but the deal collapsed after Integral did not follow through on the project.

Parish Councilman Harold Lapeyre has said he believes the parish-owned land could sell for $1.5 million, and that the hotel/restaurant development could have a $25 million economic impact on Terrebonne Parish.

Also at the TEDA meeting Wednesday, the board approved a resolution backing the Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission’s application for a certificate of authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration “to obtain and fly Unmanned Aerial Systems…from the Houma-Terrebonne Airport,” according to the resolution.

“It’s an active prospect-this one’s become active,” said TEDA CEO Michael Ferdinand.

“I’m sure they’ll need hotel rooms, too,” Richard said, referring to people involved with the Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Earlier, TEDA Marketing Director Michelle Edwards discussed Project Atlanta, a developer of residential rental units looking to develop property in the Houma area.

“Word is getting out” about Houma, Edwards said. “I keep hearing, ‘We have to be there.’”

They’re asking, “What is going on in Houma?” she said.