New hotel is latest development planned for along Benner Pike in Bellefonte area

A new hotel is planned for along the Interstate 99 corridor.

Hospitality Asset Management Company said it intends to develop a Tru by Hilton hotel in the Bellefonte and State College area along the I-99 and Benner Pike interchange, the company announced in a press release Thursday.

Edward Tubbs, chief operating officer of Hospitality Asset Management Company, said they’re excited to expand their portfolio in Happy Valley.

“We continue to be proud of our company’s growth and are excited to increase our portfolio footprint in our home region of Centre County. The local communities have been very supportive and welcoming for us to have a larger presence in the region,” Tubbs said in the release.

The Tru by Hilton franchised property will have 98 rooms, including complimentary breakfast, active lobby spaces and an expanded fitness center, the release states. Hospitality Asset Management Company will provide daily operational management and oversight for the property.

Hospitality Asset Management Company — also known as Lion Country Lodging in the Happy Valley market — is the Preferred Hotel Partner of Penn State Athletics, the release states, and operates many lodging properties and restaurants in State College, including The Hilton Garden Inn featuring Mercato Mio, Super 8 by Wyndham, Quality Inn, Nittany Budget Motel and Gigi’s Southern Table.

The company is also a partner in the Bellefonte Waterfront development.

“We are equally proud of our development at the Bellefonte Waterfront in conjunction with our partner Tom Songer, and we remain committed to further expansion in the Bellefonte/State College marketplace,” Tubbs said.

Tru by Hilton will join several other developments planned for an increasingly popular area of Centre County, most recently being plans for Happy Valley’s first Wawa, proposed for between Dunkin’ and Fulton Bank along the Benner Pike, and a new McDonald’s proposed for at the intersection of Paradise Road and the Benner Pike. Other developments and plans in the township include the new Giant, a large residential development at the end of High Tech Road, a massive fulfillment center warehouse at the end of Penntech Drive and a four-story hotel at the corner of Benner Pike and Amberleigh Lane.