Germantown Holiday Inn Express plans expansion

A Germantown hotel could undergo a major expansion, and a possible brand change, under a proposal recommended for approval by the village Plan Commission.

The Holiday Inn Express, W177 N9675 Riversbend Lane, would add two floors and be allowed to have up to 130 rooms, according to a village report. The commission at its Monday night meeting approved the plans, which still need Village Board approval.

The Holiday Inn Express now has 72 rooms on two floors. It is just west of Interstate 41 and north of County Line Road.

Odyssey Hotels, which operates the business, has two expansion options: one that would give the hotel 130 rooms, and one for 123 rooms, according to the village report. Both would require expanding the hotel to a four-story building.

Information submitted by Odyssey to the village includes renderings that show the expanded Holiday Inn Express, and the expanded building rebranded as a Hampton Inn and Suites or a Fairfield Inn and Suites.

Also, Chicago-based Odyssey has an offer to acquire the neighboring nine-hole Riversbend golf course property, N96 W18034 County Line Road, the report said.

Odyssey would convert most of the 34.6-acre property into a private conservancy area.

However, the firm would use about two-thirds of an acre on the north end of the existing parking lot for additional parking spaces for the expanded hotel.

Also, a 1.34-acre area in the property's northeast corner, at the end of Rivercrest Drive, would be set aside for possible sale or development, the report said.

Odyssey doesn't expect the hotel's planned expansion, and possible rebranding, to be completed sooner than three to four years from now, the report said.

However, the firm is seeking village approval of the proposed changes "in order to plan accordingly and prepare for the opportunity to do so," it said.