Five Story Hotel Proposed on Cherry Capital Airport Property

Socks Construction, a Traverse City development group, presented a proposal on December 10 to build a five story hotel on forested land east of the main parking area at Cherry Capital Airport. The Northwest Regional Airport Authority zoning board conducted its first formal review of the plan today. Presentation materials described a phased, modular standalone design with phase one delivering 89 keys and future expansion capacity.

Renderings show a rooftop bar, a full service restaurant, a coffee shop, and a 5,000 square foot banquet room. Developers forecast a year round average occupancy of 50 to 65 percent, with winter lows in the mid 40s to mid 50s and summer highs above 65 percent. Socks Construction emphasized steady baseline demand from airline crews who require rest between shifts, and from travelers displaced by flight disruptions. The firm hopes to break ground in the second quarter of 2026 and to complete the modular build in 12 to 14 months for a spring 2027 opening.

The proposal is being pitched as a lower risk start that is aligned with the airport authority's timeline for a $120 million terminal expansion set to begin next spring. That timing creates potential operational synergies, including improved passenger flows and additional demand for on site lodging during construction and after the terminal upgrade is complete. Developers argue the modular approach shortens construction timelines and limits upfront capital exposure.

Local economic implications are mixed. A new airport hotel could capture crew stays and distressed traveler demand, increasing lodging tax revenues and creating construction and hospitality jobs. However, it enters a market already seeing proposals for additional rooms, including a separate hotel plan by R and W Enterprises across from the airport in Garfield Township. Multiple large projects could raise competition and pressure occupancy and room rates, especially outside peak summer months.

The zoning board review opens a multi stage approval process that will include environmental considerations given the forested site, airport operations coordination, and local permitting. For residents, the project promises new amenities and potential tax and job benefits while raising questions about traffic, tree loss, and how added lodging supply will affect local hotel economics in the years ahead.