Officials: New downtown hotels sign of rising economy | News

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC)- Hotels are popping up all over downtown, Charleston, and ready to welcome anyone who wishes to stay.

A Holiday Inn on Meeting Street and a Hilton Garden Inn overlooking the water on Lockwood are currently under construction, but they have been in the works for years.

"They've been on the drawing board, planned for some time," says Daniel Blumenstock, Director of Hotel Operations. "The financial status of economy now, financial institutions are actually lending money."

Blumenstock says seeing more hotels is a good indicator of how the local economy is doing.

"Being the number one destination to visit matters, so our economy is something that we're proud of. It definitely attracts people," says Blumenstock.

According to monthly occupancy reports, over 91% of hotels rooms on the peninsula were occupied in April, 86% were occupied in May, and 87% were occupied in July. Hotels expect these number to stay high through fall.

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