Denham Springs officials are in discussions with developers who are considering building three new hotels in the city—including a 12-story upscale project with a restaurant, conference center and theater or studio.
Speaking to the Livingston Board of Realtors this afternoon, Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry—in office for just 49 days—said he met last week with a developer who wants to spend $70 million to build a 12-story, “five-star” hotel in the community. He declined to disclose who is behind the early-stage project, which, if built, would be the tallest structure in Livingston Parish.
“Twelve stories,” Landry told those at the meeting. “That’s unbelievable for Livingston Parish, much less Denham Springs. He’ll make an announcement when it’s appropriate, but the reason [the developer] came to see me is because he wanted to make sure our fire department can handle it. … We can service his needs.”
Speaking to Daily Report following the meeting, Denham Springs building official Rick Foster says the proposed hotel is potentially a Sheraton project that could include five floors of hotel rooms, a conference facility that could accommodate up to 500 guests, a restaurant, offices and two floors of studios or theater. Foster adds the developer “has ties to Bollywood,” a reference to the Indian film industry.
“We’ve got some conceptual drawings on it,” Foster says. “It’s all conceptual; we don’t have anything rock solid. But believe it or not, it’s more than what we’ve had on a lot of projects that have come to fruition.”
Landry also told the Realtors board that developers already have closed on property on Bass Pro Drive next to Sam’s Club, where a Marriott hotel and restaurant are planned on separate lots. A construction start date has not yet been announced. Also proposed for the community is a four- or five-story full-service Holiday Inn with 98 rooms, a restaurant and conference center.
Details on both remain sketchy, and the names of the developers involved were not available at press time. Foster says plans for the properties have not yet been filed with the permit office.
“They’re still kind of nebulous,” Foster says. “Nothing is set in stone.”
—Penny Font
