A new hotel may soon morph the area around the Bradenton Area Convention Center to a full-scale conference attraction. Manatee County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a development agreement for a 250-room hotel on Haben Boulevard. “A convention center hotel will no doubt enhance the urban core redevelopment plans by helping bring in conferences to our beautiful community,” says Elliott Falcione, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau director.

The board entered into the deal with Improvement Network Development Partners, and the plan is to bring in a Sheraton hotel managed by Starwood Resorts. Sandvick Architects plans for the six-story hotel show an 18,000-square-foot, two-story entertainment complex, an 8,000-square-foot ballroom and a 240-seat hotel restaurant with some outdoor dining. There will also be a space abutting the hotel and center allowing for 110,500 square feet of temporary event space.

Plans were negotiated with the county, the City of Palmetto and INDP. "Palmetto has been working very hard on redevelopment and strengthening our infrastructure, thus positioning the city for a bright future. Visitors to the Convention Center as well as residents county-wide have long awaited the reality of a hotel in this location,” says Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant.