VERO BEACH — WPTV has been reporting extensively on the growth at the Vero Beach Regional Airport when it comes to flights.
But on Tuesday, Vero Beach City Council approved a lease agreement to bring a four-story, 116-room Marriott hotel to the airport.
"We've been in negotiations with this for the last three years,” Brian Dembeck, interim airport director, said. "This is something that is going to dramatically improve the passenger experience."
Dembeck took WPTV to the site, which sits just outside the gates of the terminal along Aviation Boulevard.
"They're going to have a hotel right next door that they can come, they can stay, wait for their flight, and then go right over to the terminal."
But the lodging is more than just for passengers.
Brian Cartland, vice-president of economic development for the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, said the hotel could attract more businesses to the city of Vero Beach and beyond.
"The hotel is going to serve multiple purposes,” said Cartland. "This hotel is going to help target industry growth by giving those companies that are looking at the area some additional alternatives for some great high-end options."
While the hotel is close to the airport, Chad Maxey, senior vice president of Diversified Companies, the developer of the project, said one big need for the extra lodging is just down the street at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
"We feel this is a great location to have a hotel that's going to be able to provide amenities to the airport and also to the families and kids that are going to play baseball,” Maxey said.
Maxey said the hotel will also feature a “homerun dugout amenity” for families.
"Kids can play virtual baseball in the hotel as they're getting ready to go across the street and actually hit the diamond over there and play with the major league baseball players,” Maxey said.
Developers said the hotel will break ground next year and expected to be completed by end of 2028.
