The process of planning, zoning and buying the property for the new hotel began 18 months ago, said Richard Weik, director of Operations for Stone Bridge Hotels. Guests can expect to stay in the Hilton Garden Inn beginning the spring of 2016.

The development is currently in the early stages of construction, Weik said. This week Stone Bridge Hotels broke ground on the property and prepared to lay a foundation and set a base material to prevent flooding of adjacent space.

The new Hilton Garden Inn will include 105 rooms with a full-service restaurant for breakfast and dinner, a bar, an outdoor pool, an exercise facility and 350,000 square feet of conference space, Weik said. In addition, the hotel will employ 35 to 40 full-time employees.

“There is a demand in San Marcos for a higher-end lodging property,” Weik said. “The new Hilton Garden Inn will benefit tourists and provide them with another property that has an on-site restaurant and bar.”

Higher-end properties will raise the standards of lodging, offering better options for those visiting San Marcos, Weik said.

“I didn’t get that sense of competition,” said Councilwoman Lisa Prewitt, Place 1, member of the city’s Convention and Visitor Bureau Board. “We really need this hotel space because we have so many people coming into San Marcos.”

People notice officials are trying to make San Marcos a more progressive city, Prewitt said. Officials have made large efforts in improving outdoor spaces and trail areas, and maintaining the riverbanks to attract visitors.

The baseball fields and new football stadium at San Marcos High School have been attracting many other visitors as well, Prewitt said.

“As we see more people coming to visit San Marcos, I think we will see more people possibly wanting to reside in San Marcos,” Prewitt said.

Alexa Tavarez is a news reporter for the University Star where this story originally published and is reprinted here through a news partnership | @CorridorNews