BENNER TOWNSHIP — A new hotel is coming to the corner of Amberleigh Lane and the Benner Pike outside of Bellefonte in Benner Township. In a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, June 28, members from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County and the Centre County commissioners’ office spoke, discussing the impact that the new hotel will have on the area.
The new dual brand hotel — Avid and Candlewood Suites — is an IHG hotel, and SAI 21 is the hotel ownership group.
“We applaud SAI 21’s investment in our tourism infrastructure, and in the continued growth of the Bellefonte area,” said Fritz Smith, president and CEO of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. “This is the second hotel groundbreaking in the past few weeks, which is reflective of our strong visitation economy. It is still a somewhat challenging operating environment for capital investments of this kind, so the confidence we have witnessed in the positive momentum that is occurring in Happy Valley is worth celebrating. We appreciate our hotel partners, and their commitment to growth in Centre County.”
Previously, on Tuesday, June 11, another groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new 98-room Tru by Hilton hotel just off Benner Pike, next to G.M. McCrossin Inc. and across from Bellefonte Lanes. The hotel is slated to be completed by June of next year.
The new Avid Hotel/Candlewood Suites project started Monday, July 1, and is expected to be completed in July 2025.
