CORALVILLE, IA – Today, one of the fastest growing privately held development firms in the country, Hawkeye Hotels, announced it has broken ground on three new properties in the last two weeks. The firm currently has six hotels under construction and plans to break ground on nine more projects in 2017.

"These three properties help drive the spring phase of our 2017 growth strategy," said Ravi Patel, President of Hawkeye Hotels. "Each of these properties is located in high-demand markets that we expect to continue to flourish in coming years. We look forward to more opportunities to serve the states of Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio."

The properties include: a Fairfield Inn & Suites (Grove City, OH), a Holiday Inn Express (Marshalltown, IA) and a Home2Suites by Hilton (Eagan, MN). With these developments, Hawkeye Hotels will have three hotels in the Columbus metro region by the end of 2017 and an expected half dozen projects underway in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region.

"The company has been eager to expand our reach in midwestern states like Minnesota and Ohio," said Raj Patel, Chief Development Officer of Hawkeye Hotels. "Our research shows that these areas are high-performance regions with much potential for growth, and we hope to support the local communities in their economic expansion."

The new Fairfield Inn & Suites in Grove City lies in Franklin County, which recently became Ohio's most populous county. Ohio recently was ranked second for economic development and Columbus was ranked eighth in major metro areas in Site Selection magazine's Governor's Cup competition.

The Home2Suites by Hilton is located in the fast-growing suburb of Eagan, MN, which recently issued $89 million in permits for health care, retail, corporate office and other commercial spaces. Eagan, which lies just south of the Twin Cities, also will host the Minnesota Vikings' new headquarters and indoor practice facility, the first phase of an overall 200-acre development.

The Holiday Inn Express in Marshalltown arrives when the central Iowa town's economy is in an upswing. Alliant Energy Generating Station, the largest economic development project in Marshalltown's history, recently came to a close, but what lingers is the economic impact of the facility: $47.3 million invested in the area by contractors and workers to date.

All three hotels offer guests a business center, fitness room, pool and free high-speed wireless internet access in each room.

Founded in 1982 with one roadside hotel in Mena, Arkansas, Hawkeye Hotels has become one of the fastest-growing family-owned hospitality companies in the U.S. Today, Hawkeye Hotels owns and operates over 50 hotels across the country and employs over 1,000 employees across its portfolio of hotels and corporate offices. Hawkeye Hotels maintains lasting affiliations with leading brands, including Hilton, Marriott and InterContinental.

About Hawkeye Hotels

Founded in 1982 with one roadside hotel in Mena, Arkansas, Hawkeye Hotels has become one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in the United States. Today, the firm owns and operates over 60 hotels across the country, with additional properties under development. Hawkeye Hotels employs over 1,000 staff across its portfolio of hotels and corporate offices. The firm maintains lasting affiliations with leading brands, including Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). For more information, visit the company"s web site at www.hawkeyehotels.com.

Allison Ordman
319-594-4690
Hawkeye Hotels