PRO: New hotel would alleviate shortage
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The issue
It's hard to argue that the city of Victoria doesn't have a shortage of hotels and motels.
Christy Gonzales, general manager of Victoria Super 8, said she turns down anywhere from 150 to 250 people per day. About 75 ...
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The issue
It's hard to argue that the city of Victoria doesn't have a shortage of hotels and motels.
Christy Gonzales, general manager of Victoria Super 8, said she turns down anywhere from 150 to 250 people per day. About 75 of those, she said, are walk-ins and the rest are others trying to make a reservation via the telephone.
The Quality Inn, which has 101 rooms, has been about 80 percent full since the middle of last year, said Chanda Garner, the inn's general manager.
The city council authorized a $30,000 study in May to look into whether the city can support a convention center and a new hotel. The study is also looking into the best location for such a facility.
However, hotel and motel personnel say that the wrong kind of establishment could hurt their businesses. One hotel owner also cautions people from basing their long-term planning on what could be temporary boom.
Hotel rooms are in big demand in Victoria, but not always enough supply.
"They just need some more new ones," said Eric Conerway about the city's hotels and motels.
Conerway works for Pioneer National Resources, an oil company, and was staying at the Quality Inn. Workers like him and Randy Farrington, an engineer with Invista, are filling up local hotels and motels.
"This place is full at times," said Farrington about the Motel 6 he was staying at.
Victoria hotels sold 84,700 rooms in the first quarter of 2011, according to Source Strategies, Inc., a hotel consulting firm that provides data and analysis.
That was up from the 69,100 rooms sold during the same time in 2010. In fact, the city hasn't breached the 80,000 mark since 1982.
And would-be renters don't always react kindly to getting turned away.
"They get mad and they're aggravated and frustrated," said Christy Gonzales, general manager of Victoria Super 8.
Debra Hobbick, manager for Chaparral Motel, said that a new hotel would help those who can't find rooms.
She said oilfield, construction and plant workers, along with truck drivers, have booked up her rooms for about the last three months.
The Victoria Economic Development Corp. has heard that some business people working in the city are being forced to live in surrounding communities, said Dale Fowler, VEDC president.
Such difficulty in finding a room is due to the business travel to Victoria, said O.C. Garza, communications director for the city. He listed the Eagle Ford Shale drilling projects and construction on the coming Caterpillar plant as two examples.
Garza added that a convention center's hotel wouldn't compete with smaller ones.
Gonzales agreed. She said some clients may wish to stay at a hotel with greater amenities than her's has to offer.
So a high-end hotel wouldn't adversely affect Victoria Super 8, Gonzales said.
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Why is it a companies responsiblility to provide housing for it's employees?? Did DuPont, Union Carbide, etc.. do that when they set up shop here for their out of town hires??
July 26, 2011 at 4:34 a.m.Most oil & gas companies are providing hotel/motel rooms for a short time frame, then expect their permenant employees to find their own housing and invest in the community too.
There are companies that set up work camps in the area already. Many of the visitors here have business that does not involve the oilfield. It is also important to remember these folks spend more than just room rent while here. This will date me, but I was required to travel in years past and the avarage spent per day was $100-$150 total. Now how much is that for approx. 80,000 rooms in 4 months? This is important income and needs to be encoraged.
July 25, 2011 at 11:49 a.m.They are just going to book the new one too. I've heard that the new one in Goliad (that isn't even finished) is already booked solid by oil field. With as big as the oil field is down here they need to have their own housing.
July 25, 2011 at 10:19 a.m.i dont really understand why the oil companies don't just furnish their own housing...that would help immensely
July 25, 2011 at 10:06 a.m.