ENC business speaks on hotel opening delay, new timeline given

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - A hotel that was scheduled to open its doors last year is still under construction.

Ground broke for the Hilton Garden Inn in January 2022 in downtown Greenville, and many businesses around the area were excited about the customers it could bring in.

The hotel was scheduled to open in the summer of 2023. Now, over a year later, construction crews are still working on the building.

“It’s been really cool to actually watch it all go up. Sometimes noisy, but it’s awesome to see,” said Sydney Gray, an employee at Uptown Coffee.

But when the timeline for summer 2023 wasn’t met, the hope was to have the hotel open by ECU’s football season.

“I’m a little bummed, but I’m still looking forward to it,” said Gray.

Yet despite another opening delay, businesses remain positive and hope to see a boost in customers soon.

“I’m really excited for it. I’m hoping a lot of people will even be in the lobby and say, what’s that and check it out,” said Gray.

WITN expected to speak with the hotel’s PR team; however, we were told that a meeting between the PR and hotel teams had been canceled.

Still, a Greenville official told WITN the hotel is now expecting to open its doors in late December.

According to a website that provides details about the hotel, it will have 101 rooms and be the tallest building in the university district.