-March 21,2019-
As the SLO airport attracts more passengers, they will need more places to lay their heads once they arrive. For now there are no airport-area hotels. But that is about to change.
San Luis Obispo’s Architectural Review Committee this week heard a presentation on a proposal for two new 100-plus room hotels near the airport. The two hotels, one 100 room and the other 118 room would be off Broad St at Aero Drive – only blocks from the air terminal.
The conceptual project consists of the phased development of a 100‐room hotel and a 118‐room hotel, approximately 63,000 and 66,000 square feet each with surface parking.
According to the applicant Templeton-based Sunsmit LLC, Sanjay Ganpule, no brand names for the hotels have been selected.
Proposed hotel amenities would include outdoor patio and dining areas, meeting space, fitness room, breakfast area, and a hotel guest bar. The larger hotel includes an outdoor pool. Each hotel would be 45 feet in height, with architectural features extending to 52 feet in height. The two‐parcel, five‐acre project site is located on the northern side of Aero Drive, on the west side of Broad Street, currently vacant. The site is zoned as a Business Park. The development would be be near SLO Brew’s restaurant The Rock.
The proposal comes as the SLO airport continues to attract new flights to a number of destinations around the West Coast. As of this week there are 14 airline departures leaving from the new SLO terminal. On December 13, it was announced a new daily flight destination would be launched to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. American Airlines will begin the flights from San Luis Obispo to the national and international travel hub starting on April 2. Dallas is major hub for worldwide flights including the Caribbean and South America.
Already through the end of 2018 passenger traffic was up 19% compared to 2017 with nearly half a million passengers. The new Alaska Airlines flight each day here and back to Seattle have attracted 48,000 passengers in 2018. United attracted 279,236- up over 25% for the year and American attracted 158,780 passengers- up single digits.
For January 2019 passenger traffic continues strong – up 19% with rental car activity up 17%.