By Kim Hilsenbeck

As a growing city, Buda attracts new businesses every month, ranging from restaurants to retail shops to other commercial ventures. One of its most recent additions is the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, which will be operated by Dallas-based Seva Hospitality.

The family-owned hotel development and management company has been in business for nearly 25 years and has two other properties, according to Prayes Majmudar, vice president of Seva Hospitality. He spoke at the hotel’s groundbreaking last Wednesday.

Buda Economic Development Director, Ann Miller, told the audience that it’s been two years almost to the day that she got an email from Majmudar about the possibility of bringing a hotel to town.

Event organizers at the Buda Chamber of Commerce say the groundbreaking was more than just a photo opportunity – it was a way to showcase local businesses.

Majmudar told the crowd of about 60 that the hotelier will be looking for Buda area businesses during construction.

“We depend on each other for success,” he told the business community representatives in attendance.

He noted that many of the businesses represented at the groundbreaking were also local, such as the firm that provided the tent and chair rentals, the restaurant that made the breakfast tacos, the firm used to create the goodie bags and the printed ‘Coming soon’ signs around the property.

“We try to support the local community,” he said.

In addition, Majmudar said Seva is committed to hiring locally for a range of services related to the hotel’s construction.

“We’re going to try our darndest to use contractors and subcontractors from the local community,” he said.

Chamber Executive Director J.R. Gonzales said the $5.4 million hotel project will bring opportunities to local firms for everything from landscaping to flooring.

So far, Buda-based Southwest Engineers was used for the site design and G2 Builders of Austin is the construction firm that will build the hotel. However, because Fairfield is a brand, the furniture and interior design will be purchased through the same suppliers as used in all Fairfield hotels.

Another economic benefit for the 92-unit hotel are employment opportunities for about 25 people, with positions in housekeeping, maintenance and management, among other jobs. A job posting for the hotel’s general manager is already online.

According to Majmudar, Seva selected Buda because of its prime location near shopping, restaurants, Interstate Highway 35, the Austin airport and south Austin – or as Chamber Executive Director J.R. Gonzales calls it, north Buda.

The Fairfield is located in the Cabela’s retail district; Majmudar said Cabela’s is a destination in itself. He added that the property is a good choice when Buda area residents have visitors and need a place for them to stay.

With Marriott’s loyalty program, Majmudar told the audience he thinks it’s going to be very good for the community.

“It’s going to attract overnight travelers to Buda to spend their money here,” he said.

Majmudar told the crowd that construction should take about a year to complete.