70-room Wyndham Hotel may be built in Pequot Lakes

PEQUOT LAKES — Pequot Lakes may become home to a 70-unit Wyndham Hotel & Resorts hotel.

The city council agreed at its regular meeting Monday, May 1, to allow staff to negotiate to sell five acres in the Heart of the Good Life development for a hotel.

Mike Angland, architect with Widseth engineering firm, represents Level Contracting, LLC, the company exploring the possibility of building and owning the hotel.

The hotel would be on the new Larsen Parkway street, west of the city public works facility and southwest of the new Xcel Energy building. It would be visible from Highway 371.

Contributed / Widseth engineering firm

The hotel would have a pool and hot tub.

City Administrator Rich Spiczka said the design is modeled after Georgetown, Colorado.

Level Contracting understands the city is not interested in a stock hotel Wyndham would typically build, he said.

“This is very much enhanced for our Heart of the Good Life development,” Spiczka said.

Angland said they believe the proposed building’s aesthetics reflect local architecture.

Contributed / Widseth engineering firm

“I think it’s awesome,” Mayor Tyler Gardner said and others agreed.

Council member Scott Pederson said signs and screening need to be addressed, and city ordinance changes may be needed.

“This will draw people to that location as they drive by and say, ‘That looks like a nice hotel,’” Pederson said.

The Heart of the Good Life is an 85-acre property south of the business park between the four-lane Highway 371 and the Paul Bunyan Trail.

Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com . Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.