Plans underway to build 4 hotels on vacant land near Sacramento International Airport
SACRAMENTO — People flying in and out of Sacramento International Airport (SMF) may soon have a new place to stay the night.
There's currently no hotel at the airport, but new ideas are underway to make it easier for people taking those early morning flights.
Plans are underway to build four new hotels on a vacant piece of land across from the airport.
"There is a significant need for new hotel rooms in Sacramento," said Kari Miskit with Visit Sacramento.
This comes at a time when SMF is seeing record numbers of passengers.
"We expect to see 13 million people come through the airport in 2023, and that would be our all-time high," said Scott Johnston, a spokesperson for the airport.
The new hotels would be located just east of the airport property near the Amazon warehouse where currently a new airport entrance is being built along Elkhorn Boulevard.
"We're adding that option for folks coming in off of Highway 99," Johnston said.
SMF once had one of the most successful hotels in the region.
For 40 years, the Host Hotel was right across from the terminals and had some of the highest occupancy rates in Sacramento. But it was torn down in 2008 to make way for a new terminal — and many passengers say they miss the convenience.
"The one thing that we've been missing is lodging that is right there on-site," Miskit said.
Currently, the closest hotels are more than five miles away in north Natomas.
Now, planning documents show the new hotels would be built in phases starting with a 92-room Candlewood Suites, then a 112-room Springhill Suites followed by two more hotels — creating more than 380 new rooms.
"It shows that people are anxious to get here and we're excited to see what comes of it," Miskit said.
The additional rooms could help accommodate more passengers as the airport continues to see new flights added.
"This region as a whole is growing and the airport is going to need to grow with it to meet those needs," Johnston said.
The hotel developer says he's hoping to get construction approval by the end of the year and have the first hotel open by 2025.
