Aerial photograph of WestGate Pointe shows the
Holiday Inn Express, bottom left; the new Spartan 16 theater complex, far
right; and the Hampton Inn under construction, top middle.
Sam Shanbhag knows if he builds it, customers will come.
And the WestGate Pointe developer hopes that his new 50-acre
development of dreams -- which includes retail space, restaurants, hotels,
meeting space, entertainment and medical offices -- will also keep them coming
back.
Shanbhag, chief executive officer of Roebuck-based Pinnacle
Hospitality, started his dream project more than four years ago, and is now
watching it not only become reality, but even better than he imagined.
The new
development is already taking its place among major west-side retail
destinations: WestGate Mall and the Dorman Centre.
It started
with a Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites that opened in 2002.
And last
week Spartan 16, a $23 million, 16-screen megaplex theater, opened the doors of its 5,000-square-foot facility
that includes 3,000 stadium seats on 18-inch risers with rocker-seating and
retractable cup holders.
"It's
really starting now and that is great to see," said Shanbhag,
who admits the road to success has been a bit bumpy over the years.
Shanbhag has had to endure difficulties with trying to find
investors, deals falling through and rough economic times throughout his
journey.
"But
the timing was perfect and everything needed to happen to get us here now, and
now it is time for
He said a
lot of people doubted the project, but Shanbhag
remained committed.
Finally, a
breakthrough came and Shanbhag partnered with
Charlotte, N.C.-based Consolidated Theatres, which also owns the Cherrydale Cinemas 16 in
And with
the theater up and running, Shanbhag said he couldn't
wait for people to see what's next.
His plans
consist of a 126-room Hampton Inn & Suites -- expected to open in August --
and at least five restaurants around the property, including
He also is
renovating the 40,000-square-foot Spartan International building behind WestGate Mall into a meeting center with his own restaurant
concept.
Shanbhag, who also owns Demetre's in
Two
5,600-square-feet spaces are also inside that facility, with one lease already
signed to bring an orthodontist to the development.
Along with
the new restaurants, WestGate Pointe also has room
for multiple "junior-box" retailers and small retail centers that
will be focused around courtyards with a fountain in the center of the
development.
"I
want for people to be staying in the hotels and be able to walk through the
courtyard to the movie theater or to the restaurants. They will have everything
they want right there," Shanbhag said.
Although
the restaurants aren't onsite yet, the movie theater's opening is already
attracting new business to WestGate Pointe.
Patti Whetherford, general manager of the Holiday Inn, said she's
excited to see the traffic coming into the movie theater because that means
more people see her hotel.
Whetherford said for a while the hotel was the only business open
inside the development and now its great to have more excitement and traffic.
"I'm
really looking forward to seeing the rest of it go up," she said.
"And
in a short time we'll be able to offer our hotel guests much more within a
short walk. It's really a win-win situation all the way around."
Dorman
Centre and WestGate Mall are also very close for
shoppers.
Diane McAndrew, director of marketing for WestGate
Mall, said the new development would complement the mall very nicely.
"It
makes this side of town more of a destination for shoppers, and will bring more
people here," she said.
McAndrew said now people traveling I-26 will see the two retail
centers and will want to get a closer look.
"They'll
see the hotels now and it will bring traffic all around this area," she
said.
The new
development, and especially the movie theater, will also mean rivalry for
retailers, but McAndrew said the mall would continue
to promote its movie theater despite the competition.
Once
everything is in place, Shanbhag said
"A
lot of people don't know the power of
Amanda
Ridley can be reached at 562-7270 or amanda.ridley@shj.com.