Delaware North has confirmed their new corporate headquarters building in Buffalo will include a 190-room hotel. It's the latest hotel project planned for downtown where four hotels have opened recently. One expert questions the need.
Buffalo State College professor of economics and finance Fred Floss says there should be an overall plan for downtown that includes hotels. He says many questions need to be answered as more projects move forward.
"Are we going to build a new convention center, for example? And go after more of the convention market and tie it to Niagara Falls? That would be one example of something we could do. That might justify hotels," Floss told WBFO News.
Another part of the equation is the future of a football stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
"Where is it going to be located and will these hotels be located in a place that makes sense?"
Considering the short NFL season, Floss wonders, "Is that enough to justify these additional hotels?"
Too many rooms could end up hurting the industry locally.
"The other thing we have to be careful about is that there are hotels going out near the University of Buffalo in Amherst. Well, that can draw away from Downtown Buffalo, as well."
Floss says a regional group should also conduct a market study.
"We want to make sure that we have sustainable economic development. And that sometimes means saying that we have too much of one thing and we need to slow down here."