USAN board grants $1M for Wyndham Garden Inn in Niagara Falls

Project added new rooms, remodeled existing rooms and upgraded hotel amenities

The USA Niagara Development Corp. board of directors (USAN) met Wednesday and voted to provide NFNY Hotel Management LLC with a $1 million grant for upgrades it made to transform the former Days Inn hotel on Main Street in Niagara Falls into a Wyndham Garden Inn hotel, adding new rooms, remodeling existing rooms and upgrading hotel amenities.

The $6.5 million renovation project provides new, quality lodging for visitors to Niagara Falls, which is consistent with the tourism development objectives of USAN. The project also creates 35 new full-time-equivalent employees and retains 65 existing full-time permanent employees.

“Just a few years ago, Niagara Falls was not fully capturing its tourism opportunities,” USAN Chairwoman Francine DelMonte said. “Today, with an influx of new and renovated quality accommodations, we are filling the need for downtown lodging, creating new jobs, and maximizing the city’s potential. The Wyndham Garden Inn adds to a top-notch visitor experience in downtown Niagara Falls.”

USAN is committed to maintaining Niagara Falls as a world-class tourism hub and gateway to New York. With the construction of best-in-class accommodation amenities, it is now easier for the region to showcase its beauty to visitors from all ends of the globe. These projects help to fulfill the need for additional quality downtown lodging, create new jobs, and contribute to the overall beautification and usability of the area.

NFNY’s $6.5 million investment in the 443 Main property included the addition of 20 new luxury rooms, the remodel of the 168 existing rooms, exterior signage/lighting improvements, hotel elevator and pool renovations, and the renovation of a new, 6,500-square-foot hotel restaurant/bar, known as Chill 443.

An industry leader in Niagara Falls for several years, NFNY, in addition to the Wyndham Garden Inn, currently operates the Sheraton Niagara Falls Hotel, Rainforest Café, TGI Fridays, Starbucks Café, At The Falls Arcade and Sweet Treats Shop. USAN previously provided NFNY $600,000 in capital grants for the Rainforest Café retail renovation project and the TGI Fridays retail renovation project.

A press release stated, “This project furthers New York state’s commitments in Niagara Falls as it works to realize the city’s true potential as a world-class tourism destination. Other projects supported by the state include $70 million in recent renovations to Niagara Falls State Park; more than $73 million dedicated to the removal of underused expressway segments; multiple completed, in-progress and planned hotel projects; the acquisition of several key underutilized properties near Niagara Falls State Park for mixed-use development; and $172 million in public and private development in downtown Niagara Falls completed under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, with an additional $264 million in projects underway and proposed.