Despite two years of a pandemic that has forced the cancellation or postponement of many in-person gatherings, developers of a major new Bristol events center and hotel said they are optimistic about the future as their project gets ready to open next year.
The $25 million Bristol Event Center is expected to debut on Century Drive in the first quarter of 2023, after breaking ground in late 2020.
The pandemic has significantly slowed business travel, which has battered the hospitality industry, especially hotels.
And with business travel not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, many hotels continue to experience near record-low or below-average occupancy rates, forcing some to close.
But developers who see opportunity where others see despair are snatching up shuttered hotels and converting them into apartments.
Although the practice began a few years ago, it blossomed during the pandemic.
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