Friends and family of UTM students will no longer have to stay at the older Days Inn or Econo Lodge if a proposed plan to build a new hotel in Martin is approved.

Room Masters Inc. of Bardstown, Ky., has presented a plan to the city of Martin to build a Hampton Inn off Haws Road and is currently seeking approval from the city planning commission, Martin Mayor Randy Brundige said.

The proposed $3-to-4 million hotel would have 67 rooms and will stand three stories high. It will also carry a modern Hampton Inn appearance Brundige said.

Brundige said having another hotel in the city would help UTM. Brundige added that it will also help to bring in other businesses into the community, such as a 24-hour restaurant which he said would benefit the students of UTM and residents of Martin.

Pending approval from the city planning commission, the plans then go before the state fire marshal which will take around 1 to 3 months, Brundige said.

Brundige added that neither a construction or completion date has been set yet, because they are still in the preliminary stages of planning.

According to Brundige this is the first proposed hotel in Martin in over 20 years.

If approved, construction is likely to begin in the early summer.

Even if construction happens on time, it is unclear if the chain-affiliated hotel would be open by the beginning of Fall 2006 classes.