Development takes shape Theater, hotel chain signed for Westgate Commons

CHRIS WINSTON
Published April 1, 2000

A developer's vision for Spartanburg entertainment and shopping has started coming to fruition at Westgate Commons with the signing of a major theater and hotel chain. Sam Shanbhag's new multipurpose development will be anchored by a 16-screen movie theater and a Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites. Shanbhag, developer of the 35-acre site on East Blackstock Road adjacent to WestGate Mall and WestGate Crossing, has spent years working on projects in Greenville. Now, the chairman of Roebuck-based Pinnacle Hospitality hopes to make his mark closer to home with a project to include restaurants, retail shops and office space. Shanbhag said he hopes to have the entire development finished by 2002 or 2003. While he will not estimate the total cost of the development, he has already committed $12- to $14 million for the theater and first hotel. "He wants this to be his crown jewel," said Suresh Mathur, executive vice president of the group. "He wants to do more in Spartanburg." The site, which has been undergoing grading for the past few months, has recently signed a deal to make a new 16-screen movie theater its centerpiece. Operated by Consolidated Theatres of Charlotte, the theater will be called the Westgate Grande and is scheduled to open late this year. The theater will feature stadium seating with 18-inch risers, highback seats with retractable cupholders and wall-to-wall screens. Concession stands will offer specialty coffees, Pizzeria Uno pizza and Majestic fruit beverages. The theater will be similar to ones recently built in Columbia, Mount Pleasant, Raleigh and Charlotte and one under construction in Rock Hill. "We will create a magnificent entertainment facility, the likes never seen in Upstate South Carolina," said Herman Stone, president of Consolidated Theatres. "With its emphasis on stadium seating and digital surround sound, this theater will appeal to moviegoers across the entire region." Mathur said Westgate Commons will "complement" the stores and shops at WestGate Mall and WestGate Crossing. Except, possibly, for the movie theater, which will be in direct competition with the Regal Cinemas at WestGate Mall. "Frankly, that theater is a little dated," Mathur said. The eight-screen Regal Cinemas opened just four years ago. WestGate Mall marketing director Shannon Maddux expects the new theater to take away some business, but not too much. "It will have to hurt some of our theater business, but they won't be showing the same movies all the time," she said. In fact, Maddux said the mall expects the development to help business. "Anything to get more people in this part of Spartanburg will be good," she said. Pinnacle Hospitality also plans to operate and manage two hotels on the property. The first, planned for the corner of Spartan Boulevard and East Blackstock Road, will be a Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites. The hotel, scheduled to open early next year, will feature a breakfast bar, exercise facilities, meeting rooms, business center and outdoor pool. The hotels at Westgate Commons are just two of the six Shanbhag is currently developing. There is one at I-85 and Highway 221, two others in Greenville and one in Charlotte. These will become part of the Pinnacle Hospitality portfolio, along with the 80-room Days Inn in Duncan, the 60-room Microtel Inn in Duncan, the 96-room Microtel Inn and Suites in Greenville and the 60-room Microtel Inn in Gastonia, N.C. Mathur said he was hoping to sign the second hotel, to be across Spartan Boulevard from Spartan International headquarters, to a lease within the next 30 days. The group is also under negotiations to build three or four restaurants and an additional 125,000 to 150,000 square feet of office and retail space. Shanbhag is hoping to create the same "synergy" he has been successful in creating at two Greenville developments. Those sites, located at Pelham Road-Parkway and Woodruff Road, offer office, commercial and retail spaces, along with family entertainment and restaurants.

Chris Winston can be reached at chris.winston@shj.com or 582-4511, Ext. 7267.