Dallas developer begins construction of 122-room hotel at El Jebel project

A Dallas-based hotel development company announced Tuesday it recently broke ground on a 122-room hotel at the Tree Farm project in El Jebel.

Bedford Lodging said the Hoffmann Hotel would be part of the Tapestry by Hilton Collection. It is scheduled to open by January 2023.

The Hoffman Hotel will be four stories and nearly 77,000 square feet on a 1.8-acre site, according to Bedford Lodging. It will be located between Highway 82 and Kodiak Lake, the existing water skiing lake on landowner Ace Lane’s property.

“This hotel will fill the current market needs for an upscale Hilton product catering to the Tree Farm development and the upvalley resort communities of Aspen and Snowmass Village,” Bedford Lodging said in its announcement.

In addition to the rooms, the hotel will feature 1,500 square feet of meeting space, fitness center, restaurant and bar and outdoor places to hang out.

Lane received approval from the Eagle County commissioners in 2017 to build 340 residents and nearly 135,000 square feet of commercial space, including the hotel. Observers in the real estate development industry said the hotel became more viable when the Steadman Clinic decided to build a state-of-the-art orthopedic care center at Willits Town Center. The clinic, which is scheduled to be finished early in 2022, will feature medical offices and an ambulatory surgery center in a 65,000-square-foot building. The center is expected to draw customers from around the region and country, so that helps create a market for the hotel.

Critics of the Tree Farm contended during the review process that the combination of Willits Town Center and the Tree Farm will overwhelm midvalley roads that are already pushed to their limits at busy times of the day.

Jeff Blackman founded Bedford Lodging in Dallas in 2013, and he serves as president of the company. The company has developed multiple hotels, including projects in Broomfield and Lakewood.

Five Senses Hospitality Management, another company founded by Blackman, will manage the Hoffman Hotel. Five Senses manages nine other hotels in Colorado, including the University Inn in Boulder and AC By Marriott in Frisco, according to its website.

The Tree Farm has successfully captured the eyes of Texas developers. Two other Dallas-based firms, Realty Capital Residential and Lang Partners, broke ground last month on 196 apartments known as the Tree Farm Lofts. The complex will include 156 free-market and 40 rent-controlled units. They are scheduled to be completed in late 2022.

scondon@aspentimes.com