Delta Lodging Group CEO Sarah Ozbun told Greenville Rotarians this week that the former Fairfield Inn downtown is set for a full renovation and rebranding as a Quality Inn & Suites, a project she said will add much‑needed, extended‑stay rooms and modern meeting space to Washington County’s hotel inventory.
New brand and scope of work
Ozbun said the existing downtown Roadway Inn, originally opened as a Fairfield Inn, is in the middle of a conversion to a Quality Inn & Suites, part of the Choice Hotels family. She acknowledged the flag “is not like a sexy brand” but called it exactly what the Greenville market needs at this stage of downtown’s revival. Renovation of the property, which Delta Lodging Group purchased years ago and previously converted to a Comfort Inn, is the latest in a series of hotel investments the Chawla family and Delta Lodging have made in Washington County since 1995 totaling about $26 million.
More rooms, extended‑stay focus
Once completed, the renovated Quality Inn & Suites will add 105 rooms to the county’s hotel stock, including 31 extended‑stay suites designed as two-room units. Ozbun said those suites will pair a traditional bedroom with a living room and kitchen area that includes full‑size refrigerators, sinks, microwaves, hot plates and, in some rooms, dishwashers, a setup she said is aimed at construction crews, traveling nurses and doctors, and other guests who stay 30 to 90 days or longer. She noted Delta Lodging has hosted some contractors in Greenville properties for as long as three years and said the ability to cook and spread out “is a dream come true” for those workers, especially during long emergencies such as Winter Storm Fern, when local hotels have been full for days.
Amenities and price point
Despite the extended‑stay component, the renovated hotel will keep the core amenities expected of a midscale chain, including free continental breakfast, a fitness center and guest laundry, Ozbun said. She said rates are expected to fall in the $75 to $90 range, a “comfortable price point” she believes will appeal both to long‑term guests and to leisure travelers coming for sports tournaments or trips to nearby lakes. As a Choice‑branded property, the hotel will participate in the company’s rewards program, giving frequent guests loyalty points while they stay in downtown Greenville.
Meeting and conference space downtown
Beyond guest rooms, Ozbun highlighted new meeting and conference spaces planned as part of the renovation, which she said will help Washington County compete for small conventions and team events that now often go elsewhere. Plans call for five board‑ or conference‑style rooms inside the main hotel, each set up differently to host 10 to 20 people for board meetings, depositions or breakout sessions, as well as a separate rear area that can seat 100 to 125 people for small conferences. Ozbun said that combination of lodging and flexible meeting space will finally allow Greenville to keep more sports teams and regional gatherings under one roof instead of sending them to cities like Jackson or losing bids to other Delta communities.
Downtown momentum and opening timeline
Ozbun framed the downtown renovation as both a vote of confidence in Greenville and a differentiator for Washington County within the Delta, saying no other city in the region can presently support an extended‑stay hotel with comparable meeting space. She said Delta Lodging wants guests staying downtown to be able to walk to restaurants and shops as broader efforts to improve safety and revitalization along Walnut Street move forward, efforts she supports through work with the Washington County Economic Alliance. Winter Storm Fern delayed delivery of furniture and other case goods, pushing the target opening from May to sometime this summer, but Ozbun told Rotarians crews have already met on site and are “getting ready to rock and roll” on the final phase of work.
