Marriott Courtyard to open in Lewiston
Jun. 23—A Marriott Courtyard hotel is expected to be under construction in Lewiston soon near Home Depot.
The city of Lewiston recently issued building permits for a four-story hotel with 117 guest rooms and a pool as well as a two-story building for extended stays at 2647 Nez Perce Drive.
The project is valued at $14.5 million, according to the permits.
The hotel would be on the north side of Nez Perce Drive in between two existing hotels, Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn.
It is the second major national chain to make plans to locate in that area in the last year. Old Navy is preparing to open within blocks of the site of the new hotel this summer.
The addition of the Marriott Courtyard comes at a time when travel is rebounding as the COVID-19 pandemic eases, according to Marriott International's most recent quarterly earnings report issued May 2.
The company had net income of $757 million in its first quarter of 2023, compared with $377 million for the same time last year, according to the report.
The numbers reflect the performance of 8,400 properties under 30 brands in 138 countries and territories.
"In the U.S. and Canada, we saw solid demand across the leisure and group segments in the quarter," said Marriott's President and CEO Anthony Capuano, in the news release.
The average daily rate in those countries rose 10%, aided by higher special negotiated corporate rates and 15% growth in group average daily rates, he said.
The trends supporting Marriott's earnings are buoying tourism in this region.
Visitor spending in Asotin County grew by 36.5% from 2021 to 2022, partly because of overnight cruise boat passengers, according to figures recently released by Visit Lewis Clark Valley from State of Washington Tourism.
Travelers spent $45.2 million in 2022 on lodging, food, beverages, recreation, shopping and transportation. The $45.2 million averaged to $131 per person per day, according to a news release from Visit Lewis Clark Valley.
Only two counties in Washington had a higher average per day per person spending rates: King County, the home of Seattle, at $183, and Skamania County at $139, according to the news release.
Skamania County is along the Columbia River, immediately east of Clark County where Vancouver is. It is a stop for the same cruise boats that call on Clarkston. Most of Mount St. Helens National Monument is within its boundaries.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
