$11 million Home2Suites project adds 20 jobs and 83 extended-stay suites
A little more than a year after a devastating fire destroyed one of its Somerset properties, Thoroughbred Hospitality Group (THG) is ready to start anew, breaking ground today for construction of a 56,500-square-foot Home2Suites Hotel that will bring essential overnight occupancy to this tourism-driven economy.
The Home2Suites replaces THG’s Best Western, consumed by a fire on March 29, 2023, that required assistance from all Pulaski County fire agencies. Every employee and guest was evacuated safely, but the building was lost.
While the experience has been educational for his team, THG CEO Ameet Patel expressed his excitement to move forward, adding a new brand to the company’s portfolio in Somerset where tourism is the No. 1 industry. The $11 million project will create an estimated 20 jobs and add 83 suites to the community’s hospitality infrastructure.
“Safety has always been a big priority for us,” Patel said. “Luckily our teams are constantly trained and prepared for something like this, in hopes they never have to use it. Unfortunately, that was not the case for us but we are very glad no one was hurt. The team definitely took it personally — many employees have been with the hotel for more than 10 years and have worked their way up. It’s like a second home and family for many of these folks. It was a humbling and eye-opening experience and one that made us want to come back better and stronger than ever.”
Patel said THG chose to build a Home2Suites because of how competitive it is in amenities and flexibility.
“We chose the Home2Suites brand due to a few key factors,” Patel said. “Number one being the need for an extended stay hotel in the greater Lake Cumberland area. Having a guest room that’s equipped for clients staying more than two days is virtually non-existent within a 45-minute radius. Number two, Home2Suites is one of the most desired hotels out there from a guest perspective. The rooms can be used for a quick trip or a longer stay — either way, we’ve got you covered.”
In addition to offering a full-suite experience with living area and kitchenette, the hotel, expected to be complete in early fall 2025, will have eco-friendly features, including spray foam insulation to help with sound dampening between rooms and utility savings, USB/USB-C plug-ins in multiple pieces of furniture in each room, and electric vehicle battery charging stations in the parking lot. THG was the first hospitality group in Somerset to introduce EV technology for its guests at its Hampton Inn location.
Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) President and CEO Chris Girdler congratulated THG for this milestone and thanked the team for its continued investment in Somerset-Pulaski County.
“We are thrilled to join Thoroughbred today to celebrate this new addition to our hospitality industry,” Girdler said. “Ameet Patel is a shining example of the spirit of entrepreneurship and it shows through his determination to rise from the ashes stronger and better. Hospitality is the backbone of our tourism-driven economy and an important amenity for the 4 million people who travel to Lake Cumberland every year. We look forward to experiencing the Home2Suites brand and what it will bring to our already outstanding portfolio of accommodations in Somerset-Pulaski County.”
THG has a reputation for excellence in hospitality and innovation, Somerset Mayor Alan Keck said, and he is grateful the company chooses to stay here to provide that service.
“Thoroughbred has demonstrated its commitment to supporting Somerset and providing an excellent experience for people visiting The Capital of Lake Cumberland,” Keck said. “For that, I say thank you. I look forward to THG’s continued community partnership and the addition of Home2Suites to our exceptional lineup of hotels.”
Thoroughbred Hospitality Group is a trusted partner in making visitors to this area feel welcome and valued, Pulaski County Judge Executive Marshall Todd said.
“More and more we are seeing Pulaski County as a destination community,” Todd said. “I want to thank the Patels for investing in Pulaski County and providing a home away from home for so many of the valued guests we see visit our corner of the Lake Cumberland region each and every year.”
Lake Cumberland Tourism Executive Director Michelle Allen said breaking ground for this new hotel signifies the promise for more economic growth in The Capital of Lake Cumberland.
“Allowing more job opportunities in the hospitality industry is always a positive move in the right direction toward a thriving tourist town,” Allen said. “This also gives our millions of visitors who travel for leisure or business another choice while visiting our community. We are thrilled to welcome this new hotel to the Lake Cumberland region.”
Leslie Ikerd, executive director of See Somerset Tourism, said Home2Suites will be a welcome addition to the community and the visitors who travel to Somerset and Lake Cumberland.
“As Somerset hosts a multitude of exemplary lodging options, being able to also have Home2Suites in our catalog will continue to elevate opportunities to host more business travel as well as take care of our existing recreational travelers,” Ikerd said.
THG is a rapidly growing Kentucky hospitality asset management firm. In addition to the company’s other Somerset properties — the Comfort Inn and Hampton Inn — THG has more than a dozen businesses across the southeast United States, the most recent being the Tru by Hilton in Lexington (I-75/Hamburg), Hampton Inn at Brannon Crossing (Lexington South), Crumbl Cookies locations in central Kentucky, and Parlor Doughnuts in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama.
For more information, visit https://thghotels.net/.
