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Lakeland commissioners unanimously approved plans for a six-story, 130-room AC Hotel by Marriott in Lakeside Village on Monday, adding another lodging option to the busy mixed-use district.
The hotel will occupy a one-acre parcel north of the CMX Lakeside Village theater, south of the Town Center apartments and west of the Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites.
Transportation and Planning Manager Chuck Barmby said the project fits with the center’s long-term plan to replace parking with shops or businesses.
“Going way back to 2003, the city actually worked with the developer to lay out a block system within the development, so that over time we would have infill opportunities to reduce the parking and add more active uses,” Barmby said.
Construction timelines have not been announced.
Traffic impact
The hotel is expected to generate 985 daily vehicle trips, including 57 during the morning rush and 69 during the afternoon commute.
That would be a potential 2.4% increase in traffic on Harden Boulevard, which sees an average of 40,300 vehicles a day between the Polk Parkway and Ariana Street, according to city planners.
“The trips that would be generated by this hotel are already accounted for,” Barmby said. “It’s about almost 15,000 square feet of retail that is being traded out in exchange for this hotel.”
Lakeside Village is entitled to 83,746 square feet of future retail development. The traffic expected to be generated by the new hotel is comparable to 14,778 square feet of retail, according to city planners. So that amount is being deducted.
After the transfer, Lakeside Village will still have 68,698 square feet of unbuilt retail space available.
Parking impact
The new 73,800 square-foot hotel will replace 87 parking spaces; however, planners say Lakeside Village has plenty of spots to spare.
The center needs 1,831 spaces to serve existing retail tenants, and it currently has 2,586.
The hotel will need 130 spaces, with 33 provided on site and the rest covered through a shared-parking agreement with the shopping center.
“On the north side of the theater, there’s ample parking that’s always open,” Barmby said. “In fact, there may be some spaces that nobody’s ever parked in yet.”
No opposition raised
Unlike many recent developments, the hotel drew no opposition. Barmby said notices were sent to nine nearby property owners, and no complaints were received.
In addition, no one spoke against the project at the Planning and Zoning Board’s August hearing, where the project was approved on a 6-0 vote.
Growing hotel corridor
The AC Hotels brand, created by Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalán and later acquired by Marriott International, is known for its “classic modernism” design emphasizing clean lines and European-inspired interiors.
The project adds to a cluster of hotels along Harden Boulevard near the Polk Parkway.
There are two other hotels inside Lakeside Village: a six-story, 117-room Hampton Inn approved in 2004 and a four-story, 110-room Home2 Suites approved in 2016.
Nearby, a Courtyard by Marriott and a Residence Inn were built along Harden Boulevard in 2000 and 2001, respectively, before Lakeside Village was developed.
Will there be enough demand?
In addition to serving travelers passing through en route to Tampa or Orlando, organizations like the Polk County Tourist Development Council and Visit Central Florida note that demand could come from:
- Local festivals, sports tournaments and cultural events
- Corporate offices needing space for meetings, conferences and events
- New hospitals under construction in south Lakeland — Orlando Health-Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital, expected to open in June 2026, and AdventHealth’s Lakeland hospital, expected to open in 2027 — creating demand from families, out-of-town patients and visiting medical staff
- Residential growth, creating demand for visiting family and friends or temporary relocation stays
Retail turnover at Lakeside Village
The hotel approval comes amid a period of heightened activity at Lakeside Village, with the center losing some tenants but gaining others.
- Bed Bath & Beyond closed its anchor store after the chain’s 2023 bankruptcy, and BD Mongolian Grill closed earlier this year.
- Nordstrom Rack is having a grand opening celebration on Oct. 23 in the 30,000 square-foot space formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond.
- J. Crew Factory opened a 6,368-square-foot store in September 2025, offering discounted apparel for women, men and children.
- Other newer tenants include Sola Salon Studios, Waxing the City and Patriot Growth Insurance Services, leasing more than 11,000 sq. ft. combined in mid-2025.
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With the Lakeland hotel market barely are at 60% Occupancy year-to-date why would they approve of another hotel in that area? Polk County Sports Marketing is losing events and not replacing them and this new property is going to hurt the hotel business in Lakeland.