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More hotels needed in Palm Beach Gardens, tourism leaders say

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Posted at 4:18 PM, Oct 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-17 11:32:27-04

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Tourism leaders say there is a rising need for hotel rooms in Palm Beach Gardens.

Now local developers and business owners are joining forces to make Palm Beach Gardens a destination location.

Along PGA Boulevard sits a place known for its shopping and dining.

"Right now we are at PGA Commons," said Jon Channing, President of the Channing Corporation.

Channing and his brother helped make this popular shopping center a reality a couple decades ago.

"We wanted to be ahead of the charge," said Channing.

Now once again Channing is one of the people pushing for change in Palm Beach Gardens.

"We are short hotel rooms, we have a big demand for hotel rooms. But we need quality hotels and that’s what I think we are missing in the market place," said Channing.

Palm Beach County’s tourism and marketing agency, Discover the Palm Beaches, agrees.

"There hasn’t been any hotel construction in Palm Beach Gardens for a decade," said Jorge Pesquera, President of Discover the Palm Beaches.

So the agency cashed in on a $20,000 survey.

The survey was funded, in part, by the bed tax. It looked at five markets and found that Palm Beach Gardens was in need of 600 more hotel rooms and a conference center.

Pesquera said building more hotels could have a $59 million economic impact.

"All of this new housing, Avenir, Alton you name it. Plus corporate headquarters, plus the ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Tri-Rail, potentially. It’s all creating a major demand for people to stay in North County," said Pesquera.

Palm Beach Gardens currently has nine hotels, compared to 36 in West Palm Beach. Pesquera said hotel developers are looking at the Palm Beach Gardens area.