Oakdale in Talks to Construct a Hotel at Oak Marsh Golf Course

A plan to place a hotel on city property at Oak Marsh Golf Course is in the preliminary stages, Oakdale’s City Administrator said.

The City of Oakdale is talking with Kansas-based Fairway Suites about the possibility of constructing a hotel that could have a symbiotic relationship with the golf course, City Administrator Craig Waldron said.

“It could be one of those classic win-wins,” Waldron said. “It creates a really positive relationship.”

Fairway Suites specializes in bringing hotel franchises to golf courses with the idea that the hotel will bring in golfers, and the proximity of the course will draw hotel guests, according to the company’s website. In the potential partnership, Oak Marsh would provide all of the food service to the hotel, Waldron said.

“It’s a concept you’re seeing around the country,” Waldron said.

Some major tasks still must be completed including site planning and figuring out the financial side of the plan, Waldron said.

“We’re just at the early stages,” Waldron said.

Fairway Suites has provided the city with some concept plans for the proposed hotel, but has not yet submitted a formal application to the city, he said.

The current concept is a 108-unit hotel, said Oakdale Community Development Director Bob Streetar.

On the financial side, the hotel and city would have to work out a leasing agreement for the land, Waldron said. Oakdale currently gets a percentage of golf course revenues from Oak Marsh Golf Course, so the city could have an agreement similar to that with the hotel, he said, and increased golf revenues due to the hotel could also factor in.

He said he hopes the city and Fairway Suites will be able to move fast enough with planning that some foundation work could begin in the fall, however Oakdale has a “full plate” with the redevelopment of the Oakdale Mall site under way.

Fairway Suites President Joe Ross said the company has completed one hotel project in Overland Park, KS, and has between eight and 18 others in different stages of development. 

He emphasized that the company is still in the preliminary stages of researching the potential site, however, they "love the idea" of doing a project in Oakdale.

"The golf course is a nice course," he said. "Everyone we've met in that market has been great to deal with."