After more than a year of developing and construction, the West Jefferson Hampton Inn is scheduled to be opened sometime in January, owner Amar Patel said last week.

Originally, the hotel was to be opened in July but due to construction problems the grand opening was pushed back to a later date.

“The opening is long overdue,” Patel said.

Patel has since taken over as contractor for the upcoming facility. Altogether, the operation of the 58-room hotel will be overseen by a staff of 14. Patel stated that additional staff may be brought in but that will depend on how the hotel’s operations progress.

The Hampton Inn will also house the county’s only indoor public swimming pool that will be opened this winter. The building’s exterior is comprised of brick as opposed to the traditional stucco look. One reason for the selection of brick over stucco was that it will more closely resemble other businesses in West Jefferson, a construction manager with the hotel said last fall.

In November 2007, Ashe County Director of Economic Development Dr. Pat Mitchell said that the county secured a Community Development Block Grant through the Department of Commerce and The Rural Center toward water and sewer for the project. Approximately $163,000 in public money for grant was secured last year as well as $6,000 in county matching money plus whatever money the developers or owners invest into the project.

Hampton Inn of West Jefferson will be part of the Hilton Franchise.