City of Pikeville statement on UPike plans to purchase hotel

Statement from Pikeville City Commission Regarding UPIKE Plans to Convert Hilton into Student Housing

June 28, 2021

The City of Pikeville is deeply concerned with the University of Pikeville’s (UPIKE) plans to acquire the Hilton Garden Inn and convert it to student housing. While we understand and support the University’s need to provide more options for students, eliminating a key asset of our city’s economy—a large hotel—is simply the wrong move to make. Pikeville has endless potential to grow and attract visitors but drastically reducing hotel capacity presents a significant hurdle.

We are proud UPIKE is in our community, and we know the value of our partnership. History shows that when the City of Pikeville and UPIKE work together, good things happen for our community and region.

The City provides and maintains most of UPIKE’s sports complex. We gladly own, operate and maintain the public parking garage where most of UPIKE’s students and faculty park. We do all this because we understand the value of high‐quality education options for our community, and we know UPIKE growth is an important piece of Pikeville’s future.

In 2011, the Expo Center was days away from closing. Responding to a plea from the University to save their athletic facility and recruitment tool, the City stepped in to help. We took over the facility’s debt, knowing it would help the University and our entire community. Today, the newly named Appalachian Wireless Arena is an economic driver for Pikeville and the region.

But some recent moves by UPIKE have taken a go‐it‐alone attitude, and we are concerned.

Before UPIKE located its banquet space in the optometry school, we advised them that the Arena could support their banquet needs and doing otherwise would have a negative financial impact on the Arena, a facility that they recognize offers tremendous benefit to the University.

And now, the hotel to dormitory decision has us concerned again. The impact this decision will have on our economy, regional tourism and the Appalachian Wireless Arena cannot be dismissed. Lost economic opportunity is a losing scenario for both the University and The City. Concerts, conference recruitment, family weekend trips, theater, and many more facets of activities will all be adversely affected without this hotel.

We urge UPIKE to take a step back from the current plans and re‐engage in conversations to consider student housing options that do not present such a blow to the community and our economically vital tourism industry.