By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
During the public comment period of the Nephi City Council meeting, one concerned citizen asked to comment on the Hotel Project. Justin Seely, mayor pro tempore, reminded residents who wanted to make comments during this period that they must address the council and that they will be given three minutes each to do so. Kevin Howell, National 9 owner, said he would like to make a public comment on the hotel project. “I am here to protest,” said Howell. “I have spoken with a number of you.” He said that the city did not need a hotel and that occupancy rates at local motels already in service were less than both the state and the national averages. “We would have to rent 74 rooms per night every night to reach the national average,” said Howell. First-quarter occupancy nationally in 2018 increased to 61.1 percent, according to Marcus & Millichap’s second-quarter National Hospitality Report, which used STR data. (See: https://www.hotelmanagement.net/own/occupancy-hits-30-year-high-u-s). Howell said that the city did not need a hotel and that he also objected to giving the hotel project city financial backing. “When I met with Councilman Nathan Memmott he stated their goal was to have 54 percent occupancy (which we feel is not achievable with a new hotel),” said Howell. “The last reported occupancy from the state for Juab County was 51.8 percent while the state occupancy average is above 65 percent,” he said. “Adding more hotel rooms to Nephi will only make Juab County’s occupancy numbers go down.” Howell said that, currently in Utah there are 23 counties that report their occupancy figures; of those figures, Juab county ranks in the bottom three. Howell provided the link where he gathered his information: https://travel.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/tourism_county_profiles_2017_2018.pdf “They (travel.utah) have yet to publish 2018 figures but in checking with the county the transient room taxes collected for 2018 are 10 percent lower than the previous year, which lines up with our drop in business for 2018,” Howell said. Comments from the council are not made in rebuttal during the public comments period. The council said, later in the evening, that those seeking the city’s answers about the Hotel Project could visit: https://www.nephi.utah.gov/368/Hotel-Project or the go to the Facebook page entitled “Nephi City--City Government.” |
