HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee – The total active U.S. hotel development pipeline comprises 3,174 projects totaling 383,348 rooms, according to the April 2014 STR Pipeline Report. This represents a 16.0-percent increase in the number of rooms under contract compared with April 2013 and a 42.6-percent increase in rooms under construction. The under contract data includes projects in the In Construction, Final Planning and Planning stages but does not include projects in the Unconfirmed stage.

“U.S. hotel construction activity continued its steady upward climb, reaching 103,415 rooms in April, an increase of over 42 percent versus April 2013,” said Bobby Bowers, senior VP of STR. “The Upscale and Upper Midscale segments continued their dominance of the development pipeline, accounting for 68 percent of under construction rooms and 60 percent of rooms in the final planning stage. Rooms under construction in both the Upscale and Upper Midscale segments increased by more than 50 percent in April 2014 versus prior year totals. Upper Upscale chain construction activity hit 8,631 rooms in April, a distant third among the STR chain scale segments, but up over 24 percent versus same time last year.”

Among the Chain Scale segments, the Upper Upscale segment reported the largest increase in rooms under contract, rising 31.2 percent with 25,260 rooms. Three other segments reported increases in rooms under contract of more than 15 percent: the Midscale segment (+25.9 percent 23,567 with rooms); the Unaffiliated segment (+17.8 percent with 107,553 rooms); and the Upper Midscale segment (+15.3 percent with 111,898 rooms).

Four segments reported rooms under construction increases of more than 40 percent: the Upscale segment (+53.2 percent with 38,872 rooms); the Upper Midscale segment (+50.7 percent with 31,303 rooms); the Midscale segment (+46.2 percent with 5,327 rooms); and the Unaffiliated segment (+41.1 percent with 13,994 rooms). The Economy segment reported the largest decrease in rooms under construction, falling 22.8 percent with 899 rooms.

Jeff Higley (STR)
VP, Digital Media & Communications
+1 (615) 824-8664 ext. 3318
STR