WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — When you get off Interstate 81 at the exit near Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township, you see a sign for five nearby hotels. Four of those are immediately visible once you get off the highway.
"You never see any of them empty. When there's an event around the area, they're all booked up; you can't get a room anywhere down below all the way up. So apparently there's a need for them," said Wilkes-Barre Township Mayor Carl Kuren.
That's why the township is welcoming two new hotels to the area. Home2 Suites by Hilton will sit next to Highland Park Senior Living, and Residence Inn will be right off Highland Park Boulevard next to the arena.
Combined, the hotels will offer more than 200 rooms.
"I think it's good because of the arena being there, and they need a lot more hotels in this area," said Wilkes-Barre resident Rita Vukovich.
But not everyone agrees. Some people have grown tired of seeing a new hotel pop up every couple of years.
"No, one's enough," Renee Hooper said.
"I think it's one too many. We have a lot of hotels in this area. I think maybe something else would have been a little bit better," Diane Cruz said.
But Mayor Kuren says the hotels bring money into the township that will benefit everyone.
"It'll bring in revenue for the restaurants. It'll bring in revenue, people buying in like Walmart and those places," said the mayor.
Township officials say it's an attractive spot for hotel developers because of the proximity to many restaurants, Mohegan Sun Arena, and Interstate 81.
"There's a need for them. They wouldn't build them if there wasn't going to be a need for them," said township zoning officer Tom Zedolik.
"It'd be better for the community," said Henry Gift. "We have a lot of stuff going on now with the arena and other places. Yeah, I think it's pretty cool."
The township says it will take about a year for construction on each hotel to be completed.