Marquette City Commission approves 601 S Lakeshore Blvd hotel development

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - The Marquette City Commission voted to approve a new hotel development at 601 S Lakeshore Blvd at Monday’s meeting.

The commission selected Marquette Opportunity, LLC as the hotel’s developer.

The property is currently green space. It is located across the street from the Fairfield Inn on the corner of US-41 and South Lakeshore Boulevard.

Monday’s vote was split four to three.

Marquette City Commissioners Sally Davis, Jessica Hanley and Jenna Smith voted ‘no’ to the development proposal.

Commissioner Smith said she does not want any more developments on the lakeshore.

“I, for one, am not willing to sell our lakeshore no matter how tough our budget problem is,” Smith explained.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Jermey Ottaway said the hotel will give the city needed property tax revenue. He added that this will ensure property taxes do not continue to increase for Marquette residents.

“Everyone pays a lot of taxes,” Ottaway noted.

He continued, “Marquette is a very expensive place. We need to do as much as we possibly can to take the burden off of people.”

Marquette Assistant City Manager Sean Hobbins said the plan is to remove the hotel development from the Founder’s Landing Brownfield plan at a future city commission meeting.

This means property taxes will not go towards funding the hotel development.

Copyright 2023 WLUC. All rights reserved.