By 1808Delaware
Travelers leaving Interstate 71 at the Routes 36/37 interchange will not notice a different name on the hotel sign. Behind the scenes, however, one of the area’s most familiar lodging properties has entered a new chapter.
The 60-room Hampton Inn Columbus/Delaware I-71 North has been sold to Elevate Hospitality LLC, a private investor group affiliated with Dublin-based Fusion Hotels. Fusion will assume management of the property as the company expands its presence in Central Ohio.
A Familiar Hotel Changes Hands
The hotel, located at 7329 State Route 37 East, sold for $6.25 million, according to Delaware County Auditor records. That places the purchase price at approximately $104,000 for each of the hotel’s 60 rooms. Kautilya Sunbury Hotel LLC was the seller. The company had acquired the property for $3.85 million in 2006.
The Hampton Inn had recently been marketed for $6.8 million. A commercial real estate listing identifies the hotel as a 1996 property and shows that Laurel Real Estate Co. brokers Lauren D’Souza-Faze and Errol D’Souza handled the listing. The final purchase price was $550,000 below the listed amount.
Two Hotels at One Interchange
The acquisition gives Fusion Hotels an unusually concentrated presence at the Sunbury interchange. Fusion’s existing portfolio already includes the Holiday Inn Express & Suites at 7301 East State Route 37, immediately beside the Hampton Inn. With the latest transaction, the company will manage two neighboring branded hotels serving the same interstate, business and leisure markets.
The Hampton Inn will retain its current identity and continue operating as a Hampton by Hilton. Its amenities include complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, a fitness center, meeting space and pet-friendly rooms. The hotel is eight miles from Delaware, three miles from Alum Creek State Park and about 10 miles north of the I-270 outer belt, according to Hilton.
A Purchase With Several Moving Parts
Laurel Real Estate Co. represented the seller in a transaction that brought together several equity partners and a layered financing arrangement. The purchase used the federal Small Business Administration’s 504 loan program. LCNB National Bank provided the conventional first mortgage, while Alloy Development Co. participated as the certified development company. Katie Vivian of Largo Capital facilitated the financing.
Public SBA data indicates that a $2.628 million, 25-year loan for Elevate Hospitality LLC was approved June 30. The borrower reported that the project would support two jobs.
Growing Beyond Central Ohio
Fusion Hotels is led by President and CEO Amul Patel and operates from offices on Wilcox Place in Dublin. The Hampton Inn becomes part of a 15-hotel portfolio extending across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, according to the sale announcement. The company manages properties operating under several national brands, including Hampton, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Best Western, Quality Inn, Red Roof Inn, Motel 6 and Super 8. Its current portfolio includes locations in Columbus, Delaware, Reynoldsburg, Obetz, Grove City, Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and the Cincinnati airport area in northern Kentucky. Additional openings are planned for 2027.
A Bet on the I-71 Corridor
The hotel’s value rests heavily on its position at one of northern Delaware County’s busiest gateways. It sits across the interstate from Tanger Outlets Columbus and between the Columbus and Mansfield markets. Nearby restaurants, fuel stations and highway services have long made the interchange a natural overnight stop. Rapid residential and commercial growth elsewhere in Delaware County is adding another source of potential demand.
The brokers also pointed to major investments across Central Ohio, including Intel’s semiconductor manufacturing development near New Albany, as part of the economic activity likely to generate additional business and workforce-related travel.
For guests, the transaction may be largely invisible. The Hampton name will remain, reservations will continue and the familiar building will keep welcoming travelers from I-71. For Fusion Hotels, however, the purchase represents something larger: a $6.25 million commitment to a growing corridor and a second foothold at the same strategic Sunbury crossroads.
