Moline has found a couple of companies to develop new hotels, in historic downtown buildings. Next week, the city council will consider agreements with the Amin Group and the Moline Hotel Group.
Ray Forsythe, the city's Planning and Development Director, says the California-based Amin Group is familiar with the Quad Cities because it already owns the Radisson on John Deere Commons. For over a year, it's been looking for a place to open an extended stay hotel. So after Restoration Saint Louis decided not to develop the private part of the new train station, Forsythe says the Amin Group came up with a new plan for the O'Rourke building. And if approved, the second through sixth floors will be turned into hotel rooms for long-term guests.
The former warehouse is located on the corner of 4th Avenue and 12th Street, just across the railroad tracks from Metrolink's Center Station.
The Moline Hotel Group plans to buy the John Deere Collectors Center. It's located in the 300 block of 16th Street and has been vacant since closing in 2008. Forsythe says the limited liability corporation includes local investors, such as the Beer Stube's Ted Rebitser, and a Wisconsin-based developer, who want to open a traditional hotel, such as a Hyatt or Hilton. They would like to build a 100-room addition to the east and renovate the existing building for use as a restaurant, an indoor pool and retail space.
Investors in the Moline Hotel Group already own the Holiday Inn Express in LeClaire.
Both properties are located in downtown Moline's tax increment financing district. And Forsythe says the proposed development agreements include property tax incentives for the developers.
