As Jordan grows, first hotel is on docket

Overnight guests may soon have a hotel room to book in Jordan as the city continues to grow.

A developer is planning to build a 57-unit GrandStay Hotel, including an indoor pool, in the Scott County city of 6,150 people, which has seen a 12.5 percent population increase since 2010. On Tuesday, the City Council will review and vote on the developer's site plan.

If the council approves, the developer will apply for a building permit and likely start construction by the end of the year, according to city planner Laura Holey.

Over the past decade the development of Hwy. 169, a critical artery for commuters traveling between the south metro and the Twin Cities, has fueled Jordan's growth and prospects for commercial and industrial development. And a $17.7 million federal grant last summer funded an interchange at Hwy. 41 to promote rural industrial development. Construction on that project is scheduled to begin in 2018.

"We're running out of commercial and industrial space," Holey said. "We're going to have to talk about more plats and possibly even annexation in the next couple years."

The city's attractions, including Minnesota's Largest Candy Store and Sponsel's Minnesota Harvest, an orchard that also hosts weddings, are mainstays that city officials hope will draw more tourists and overnight visitors.

The school district's community education and recreation center was also completed this year and hosts tournaments.

"This all impacts the growth that's going on in Scott County," said Bill Jaffa, director of the county's community development agency. "Inevitably, you're going to have [Hwy.] 169 growing quite rapidly in the next several years" as the agency continues to stimulate business development, he added.

The Jordan hotel would have competition from neighboring Shakopee, which has several two- and three-star hotels. In nearby Prior Lake, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community owns the 586-unit Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and is building a nine-story hotel that's set to be completed by 2018. In addition, the rural communities of Belle Plaine and New Prague also have hotels.

The hotel development in Jordan overlaps with other projects, including the renovation of nearby Clancy's Bar and Pizza Parlor, at the intersection of Hwys. 169 and 282.

"Jordan is a very busy place," Holey said. "We're reinvesting in our community."

A representative from GrandStay could not be reached for comment.

Natalie Daher • 612-673-1775