ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A new Hilton hotel in downtown Abilene is set to open in Spring 2023 after construction officially begins later this week.

The construction process, which will take an estimated 18 months to complete, will start following a groundbreaking ceremony at the soon-to-be site of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at North 6th Street and Cypress Street Friday, October 15, at 9:00 a.m.

Members of the public are invited to attend the event to welcome the full-service hotel and conference center, designed to pair with the Abilene Convention Center, which will be adjacent to the hotel once construction is complete.

“This groundbreaking ceremony represents over three decades of hard work and dedication from men and women in this community,” said Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams. “Today, we celebrate that and continue their work for an even better Abilene. We want to create opportunities for all, and this accomplishment represents that value. This is a giant win for the Abilene of tomorrow.”

Abilene’s new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel will feature 17,000-square feet of meeting space, 200-rooms of lodging, full-service dining, a pool deck, rooftop bar, and more, all within walking distance of businesses, bars, restaurants, and venues downtown.

Funding for the $80 million downtown hotel project was raised partially through a public private partnership made possible by new legislation pushed by local lawmakers such as Representative Stan Lambert and Senator Dawn Buckingham. The legislation makes it possible for proceeds from the facility’s Hotel Occupancy Tax to be reinvested toward the project.

“This project will be the economic cornerstone of the future of downtown Abilene,” Lambert said. “My team and I worked hard to ensure that HB2445 crossed the ‘finish line’ in the 85th legislative session, providing state sales tax reimbursement generated by the property for 10 years. This revenue stream was vital to the financing package approved by the city for the development of the hotel.”

Anyone interested in booking Abilene’s Downtown Hotel and Convention Center can reach out to the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau on their website or by phone at (325)676-2556.