Boosters hope The Spur, a proposed hotel in Tres Pinos, will
draw more tourists
– and their money – into the county.
Hollister – Boosters hope The Spur, a proposed hotel in Tres Pinos, will draw more tourists – and their money – into the county.
But the people who live near the site fear the project will bring increased traffic and congestion in their rural neighborhood.
Earlier this year Hollister residents John and Jae Eade bought a few acres in Tres Pinos at the intersection of Southside road and Highway 25 with plans to build a two-story, 44-room boutique hotel, which would include a small conference room that can accommodate about 40 people.
“It’s going to bring a lot of jobs,” Jae Eade said. “And the county is really short of places to stay.”
Business owners are excited by the prospect of more lodging that might draw tourists into the county.
“It looks great. We need more lodging in San Benito County,” Leal Vineyards owner Frank Leal said. “Now we can go from day trippers to weekend trippers.”
Leal is not alone in his support. Many Tres Pinos business owners have submitted letters supporting the project to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
“I think it has a great deal of support. They (supporters) see it as something vitalizing that area,” said Supervisor Reb Monaco, who represents Tres Pinos. “I certainly think it’s a good idea. But the devil’s always in the details.”
While business owners might be happy with the plan, some Tres Pinos residents don’t think that a hotel just doesn’t fit in their neighborhood. A major concern is increased traffic.
“We’re not in favor of it,” said Sheila Throp, who lives in a home adjacent to the site of the proposed hotel. “This is already a dangerous corner. How is it going to affect residents?”
Throp said she thinks traffic resulting from a hotel will make it dangerous for children to walk and ride their bicycles in the area.
Monaco said he has heard from the hotel’s detractors. And while he said he sees many positive aspects about having a hotel in Tres Pinos, Monaco agrees that such development could cause traffic problems. But he doesn’t think the traffic issue would be serious enough to kill the deal.
“I think those problems can be mitigated,” he said.
Eade said that there is already a lot of traffic zooming through Tres Pinos, and that the hotel will likely get them to stop and stay in the county and patronize local businesses.
“I understand, change is hard,” she said, “but sometimes it’s a good thing, and I think this is one of those.”
The project is currently on hold because the Tres Pinos Water District does not have the capacity to deliver water to the site. The Eades hope to open their hotel early in 2007.
“At this time, as a district, they really don’t have enough supply,” Monaco said.
According to Eade, they are working with the water district to come up with solutions for the shortfall, and they have offered the district $100,000 to update the water system.
But Eade said they are determined to build the hotel, regardless of resident complaints and water problems.
“It will happen eventually,” she said. “We’re not sure when, but it will.”
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
