Charleston Lodging Company LLC is expected to break ground on a Wingate Inn hotel at Charleston Southern University later this year, making it the first hotel in the chain’s history to locate on a university campus.
The 100-room Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern is expected to open in 2007.
Net proceeds from the Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern will be used to fund student scholarships and other university programs at Charleston Southern University.
The hotel will be in the first phase of CSU’s new medical/business park, approximately 50 acres, which will run along the I-26 corridor.
Jairy Hunter, CSU president, said he is “excited about the opportunities this business venture will provide CSU students.”
Charleston Lodging Company LLC will own the Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern, under a franchise from Wingate Inns International, Inc. IMIC Hotels, a nationally recognized firm with more than 25 years of experience in developing and managing more than 45 hotels, will develop and manage the Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern.
Ken Evans is chairman of the board of directors for CIDCOR, the parent company for Charleston Lodging Company. “The Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern will be an excellent addition to the hospitality industry in the greater Charleston area,” Evans said.
Located at the intersection of I-26 at Exit 205B and Hwy. 78, The Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern will be situated at the west end of the thriving campus. It will sit across the street from Trident Medical Center and will be only 10 minutes from the Charleston International Airport, Northwoods Mall and numerous restaurants and retail shops.
Terry Gunn, president and CEO of Trident Health System, said the Wingate Inn at Charleston Southern would benefit the neighboring medical community. “We believe that the Wingate Inn’s convenient location, right across the street from our hospital complex, will give families peace of mind that they can stay near their loved ones throughout their medical care.”
Wingate Inn hotels are known to be among the most technologically savvy, which will complement Charleston Southern’s campus-wide wireless capabilities. The new hotel will offer high-speed Internet access in every room. Charleston Southern University will provide full service catering options and high-tech conference/meeting space, with the ability to seat up to 1,500.