Community leaders break ground on hotel/conference center in downtown Kokomo

A groundbreaking ceremony for the highly anticipated hotel and conference center in downtown Kokomo was held Aug. 13.

This event marked the beginning of a project that will significantly enhance the local economy and provide a state-of-the-art venue for small conventions, meetings, conferences and more.

“The journey to this point required the combined efforts of so many,” said Lori Dukes, president and CEO of the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance. “This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration and the true need for this development in our community. Its impact will be felt throughout the region.”

The project is a partnership between the Greater Kokomo Alliance and Visitors Bureau, the City of Kokomo, Howard County and SSG Hotels. The Kokomo Conference Center is a 55,000-square-foot facility that can accommodate events for up to 1,000 guests.

The new hotel and conference center is designed to meet the growing demand for premium lodging accommodations and meeting spaces in Kokomo. With the physical integration of the facility featuring modern amenities, upscale rooms, and versatile conference space, the facility aims to attract business travelers, visitors, and local residents alike.

The conference center will also be the new home of the Kokomo Automotive Museum, with a space to display the museum’s permanent collection of historically significant and Kokomo-made Haynes and Apperson automobiles.

“I couldn’t be more excited and proud to see this transformative project come to fruition for the Kokomo community,” Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore said. “I truly appreciate the amount of time and energy that has been dedicated to this collaborative effort between a number of individuals and organizations.”

Branded as a Hilton Garden Inn, the hotel is expected to have 108 guestrooms that will feature a range of amenities including an indoor pool, fitness center, ergonomic workspaces, as well as a restaurant and lounge that will cater to both visiting and local guests.

“We are honored and committed to bringing the premier lodging establishment to downtown Kokomo. Our vision includes combining the latest Hilton prototype with locally inspired aesthetics for an unparalleled guest experience,” said Neal Patel, managing partner for SSG Hotels LLC.

SSG Hotels was established in 2015 and began operations in Lafayette under the direction of current CEO Mahesh Patel and family.

“We appreciate Mahesh Patel, his family and the entire SSG Hotel group for their commitment to Kokomo by assisting us in developing this incredible asset for our city and region,” Mayor Moore said. “We are also thankful for the state’s participation and that of our partners in the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council through the use of the READI funds dedicated to the project. Without that additional funding, we would not have crossed the finish line with the momentum we have.”

The project is slated to be constructed in the block between Main and Union streets, bordered by Superior Street to the north and Wildcat Creek to the south. Some preparation was previously completed at the site.

PROJECT SPECS

| CONFERENCE CENTER

Facility will encompass a total of 55,000 square feet over 3 floors.

Floor 1: Includes a pre-function space, ballroom/meeting space that can accommodate over 1,000 people, and a commercial kitchen.

Floor 2: Includes 6 breakout meeting rooms, office space and green room.

Lower level: Kokomo Automotive Museum

| HOTEL

Branded as a Hilton Garden Inn, its five stories houses 108 rooms.

Connects to conference center via pedestrian bridge.

PROJECT’S BENEFIT

The reasons why Kokomo seeks to capture this market demand are two-fold: A positive impact on our local economy and new tax revenues thanks in part to new spending from visitors.

The most obvious benefit will come from the money spent at the new hotel and conference center. Much of this revenue will be new to our area. The development will add to the community’s current visitor travel, creating a pipeline that will bring new visitors and visitor spending into Howard County through the growth of meeting and conference activity. This influx will benefit local businesses, including restaurants, shops, and service providers, fostering a vibrant local economy. The conference center will also increase the demand for lodging in the region.

In addition, this new spending will have two ripple effects that could be even more significant. First, the people working at these new facilities will earn wages that they’ll spend locally, boosting our economy (indirect impact). Second, the hotel and conference center will need to buy services, supplies, and hire contractors from local businesses, which will further spread money throughout our community (induced impact).

There will be an economic impact from the direct spending at the hotel and conference center with these additional waves of spending, while the resulting boost in sales, occupancy, property, and other taxes will net a positive fiscal impact.

PROJECT’S HISTORY

It’s a project first envisioned for downtown with a Downtown Kokomo Master Plan Update in 2013. At that time, researchers and city planners stressed that a city’s quality of life was impacted greatly by investment in an active and vibrant city center.

The master plan identified the development of a hotel and convention center as a key investment that would create a “Destination Anchor” for downtown. Such a facility would drive economic development for downtown and give visitors an instant opportunity to patronize downtown businesses.

First commissioned in 2018 and later updated in 2022, the Proposed Conference Center Market Study found that as Kokomo continued to attract industrial growth and economic development, the demand for lodging would increase.

In addition, this study found that there remained additional conference and meeting facility needs in the area. Interviews with area businesses, state associations and meetings planners indicated a need for a facility that could accommodate conferences, small conventions and corporate meetings. These organizations’ needs were being met outside of Kokomo due to a lack of suitable local facilities.

The study also found that development of a hotel and conference center would also put the community in a position to compete for a moderate number of statewide conventions and meetings. Further increasing that potential is the city’s central location within the state. Because event planners consider proximity and connectivity as critical factors when selecting a site, the study found that the proposed conference center’s central location within the community and the state, as well as its physical integration with an upscale hotel, would significantly increase the community’s competitive advantage in attracting these groups.

Lori Dukes,
President & CEO, Greater Kokomo Alliance

“This project comes to fruition at a pivotal time for Kokomo. With major developments transforming our community, this project’s impact will be even greater than we ever imagined.”

Neal Patel,
Managing Partner, SSG Hotels

“We knew we wanted to create something that would serve as a cornerstone for Kokomo’s ongoing development — a space that would attract visitors, foster local business growth, and provide a place for the community to gather, celebrate, and connect.”

Mayor Tyler Moore,
City of Kokomo

“I truly appreciate the amount of time and energy that has been dedicated to this collaborative effort between a number of individuals and organizations.”

The dedication and collaboration of the following community-minded organizations have made this project possible: