Robin Bivens, director of the Lexington Tourism Authority, said the new hotel will increase funding for the organization. Lexington Tourism receives a majority of its funding from the state hotel occupancy tax. She said the new hotel will provide a needed amenity as well as help support the local economy. “It will have a positive impact on us from the economic standpoint,” Bivens said. “We do not have enough hotel rooms and we have to send them to other communities. We would much rather keep them here.” Carson said the more nationally known establishments that can be recruited to the area, the more name-brand businesses will consider moving to Lexington. Just like with the Chick-Fil-A, once a hotel of the caliber of a Hampton Inn comes into a community it gets the interest of other businesses,” Carson said. “I think something like this will put us on the map.”