NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A new hotel and convention center are on the mayor's agenda for North Little Rock and now they're one step closer to becoming a reality.
"A new hotel that looks like it's gonna come to North Little Rock. Which means absolutely more people stay and more people eating and millions of dollars," North Little Rock Mayor, Terry Hartwick said.
At a city council meeting held on Monday, Makan Hospitality shared its plan to build a new 14-story hotel, condo, restaurant, and office-building downtown.
Makan's co-owner, Kal Makan, explained, "This will be our flagship hotel. Our biggest investment."
The city's multi-million dollar project would go on the old Greyhound bus station lot— and hopes to bring millions more in revenue
"We're just excited about bringing a concept from a boutique high-end hotel standpoint to North Little Rock because we feel that it needs it," Makan explained.
A new hotel isn't just the only way that Mayor Hartwick hopes to keep tourists on the north side of the river. The city has also been looking into a new convention center with hopes to bring in thousands of people and millions of dollars.
"The area [Makan's] looking at putting his hotel is would be within less than 100 yards from where the conference center would be," Hartwick said.
He also said he has already seen demand for these projects.
"Without a doubt, we can start selling and making reservations the soon as the council says let's do it," Hartwick explained.
The hotel project was presented to the city for the first time on Monday evening.
A final city council vote on the new Argenta hotel plan is expected to happen next month.
