HAPPAUGUE, NY Inside sources recently told HOTEL BUSINESS. that another property has been added to the confirmed list of 21 proposed hotels slated for Long Island. An 85-room Doubletree Hotel has been proposed for development in Rockville Centre in Nassau County, Long Island, NY.
These 85 guestrooms would be added to the previously reported 2,800 3,500 proposed room supply increase in the area. Local experts remain skeptical as to whether or not this is a quantity the Island can support with its current level of tourism.
Although the market here seems strong, and demand is high, Long Island lacks a major tourist attraction on the level of Disney World to draw a crowd year-round, according to Robert Lipper, president of Island-Metro Publications. And even though the soon-to-open, $30+ million Cradle of Aviation Museum complete with new IMAX theatre is predicted to draw an additional 500,000 750,000 visitors per year to Long Island, the area is still not experiencing enough tourism to support an additional 22 hotels, he said. (3/14/01) Kelly Wayne