Long-awaited hotel project coming to I-70 Avon exit
Marriott development is next in a series of projects in Traer Creek area
John LaConte/Vail Daily
The road running north of Interstate 70 at exit 168 in Avon has been named Wagon Trail Road, and a long-planned hotel development is finally under construction in the area.
A Marriott hotel site will be the next in a series of developments in the East Avon area known as Traer Creek, following the completion of the 240-unit Piedmont Apartments in 2021. More residential development is also planned for the area, which began to see projects break ground about two decades ago with the Traer Creek shopping complex, the Walmart and Home Depot buildings, and the Buffalo Ridge apartments.
But development stalled on the remaining tracts of land following those initial projects, as numerous setbacks occurred including a lawsuit with the town of Avon which resulted in new fees at Walmart and other Traer Creek businesses. A water tank failure in the years that followed resulted in another lawsuit.
Those issues are now behind the family business known as Traer Creek, which owns much of the land in the area; Marcus Lindholm with Traer Creek said this week that the activity now seen in the area is helping to set the tone for the land surrounding exit 168 in Avon.
“We’ve been at this site as critical to providing diversity in lodging product,” Lindholm said in a release issued this week.
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The Marriott’s ability to provide more affordable options for lodging at Traer Creek’s location along exit 168 appealed to the Lindholm family in working with JMA Ventures, Marcus Lindholm said, saying it furthers the family’s vision for the land that they own in the Traer Creek area.
“That vision includes bringing value and quality to the area,” Lindholm said. “Early on, we ensured Walmart stayed in Avon, and brought Home Depot to provide for cheaper building materials, with both tenants lowering the cost of living in the valley. The Piedmont has brought desperately needed supply for housing. And today, in partnership with JMA, we are bringing a quality brand that provides more affordable options for lodging.”
JMA Ventures acquired the site from Traer Creek, which will remain involved as an investor. Site construction began following the closing of the property and issuance of the loan in partnership with the project’s general contractor, RA Nelson of Avon, and project architect Worthgroup Architects and Designers of Denver.
As the site exists within both Traer Creek’s Village at Avon and the town of Avon itself, continued collaboration will be required in seeing the Marriott project become a success. JMA Ventures said it welcomes the challenge.
“We appreciate the partnerships we have developed with the town of Avon, the Village (at Avon), and Traer Creek,” said Ryan Porter, director of construction for JMA Ventures, LLC.
The site is located on a prime piece of real estate which has been long zoned for commercial development, and the snail’s pace the Traer Creek developers have thus employed in finding a commercial project to fit their liking is an example of the slow-growth mindset the family has in building out the area.
“It sets up the next phases of development north of I-70 within the village, and brings additional guests to shop the local business and restaurants in our community, further strengthening the tax base in Avon,” Lindholm said.
The Marriott hotels on site will include the SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites brands, which will feature standard hotel rooms and extended-stay suites with kitchenettes for a total of 243 rooms.
The Marriott SpringHill and TownePlace won’t be exact copies of their other locations, however, with the Avon development altered to include “enhanced design features,” a perk that Lindholm said the Traer Creek family was especially excited about. Those features include a two-story atrium lobby and full-service bar featuring views of the Eagle River Valley and Beaver Creek, along with an outdoor pool and hot tub.
The current construction schedule will allow for the hotels to open to the public in time for the 2024 ski season, Lindholm said.
