Jeffersonville's River Ridge area continues to see development despite pandemic

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Development near Jeffersonville's River Ridge is continuing despite the pandemic as officials on Thursday broke ground on another new $19.5 million hotel.

A Hilton Garden Inn, which will be located off Water Tower Road near Interstate 265 and state Route 62, is set to open in Spring 2022.

"To see another hotel come into the community shows that people from outside are willing to make an investment," said Wendy Dant Chesser, CEO of One Southern Indiana.

The five-story, 114-room hotel, partially owned by Fuzzy Zoeller, will bring 50 new jobs. It will have a full-service Fuzzy's Restaurant on the ground floor.

Wendy Dant Chesser.jpeg — One Southern Indiana President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser is resigning her position in October 2023. (WDRB image)

"The pandemic has not been kind. It's picked winners and losers, and there are some opportunities that businesses can take advantage of," said Dant Chesser. "We've been very fortunate that the ones that are in a cash position to take advantage of low interest rates and opportunities are doing so."

With new buildings under construction or recently opened, the area near River Ridge appears to be booming with new business -- not something you'd expect during a pandemic.

"Some of the economists are saying that this is going to be a recession that's going to have the look of a K," Chesser explained. "Everybody dropped, but at certain times some businesses are going to take advantage of these great opportunities and others are still going to struggle for a while."

River Ridge, a business park that includes Amazon, helps anchor the community in business and tourism. Business leaders say new hotels here make sense.

"Whether it's the corporate business that they would get from being close to River Ridge or being right on the interstate, location is important, but we also have Charlestown State Park, local parks, and shopping in the area," said Dant Chesser.