Hotel projects fill voids

The past few months have brought good news for Manatee County hotel developers and hospitality officials.

For one, Manatee County commissioners approved a project that at least in theory and desire goes back more than a decade: a full-service hotel next to the Bradenton Area Convention Center in northeast Manatee County.

The proposal, from Fort Worth, Texas-based Improvement Network Development Partners LLC, calls for a 250-room, six-story hotel that will be managed by Starwood Resorts, likely with a Sheraton flag. Plans for the 204,150-square-foot hotel include an 8,000-square-foot ballroom and nearly 10,000 square feet of other meeting room space, in addition to a 240-seat restaurant.