FREDERICA — Bistate McDonald’s mogul Mike Meoli will be feeding the need for hotel rooms with a new project near Frederica.

Delaware Department of Transportation’s completion of the southern Frederica interchange ripened interest along that section of Del. 1, and on Tuesday, the development of Asbury Square received a kick-start with the groundbreaking of a SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel.

The four-story, 86-room establishment will accommodate Kent County tourists, as well as visitors to the DE Turf sports complex. The 12-field regional sports facility is located on the east side of Del. 1, on Frederica’s southern edge.

“This is an important day for a lot of stakeholders here in Kent County,” said Mr. Meoli, managing principal partner for Asbury Square. “The groundbreaking of this hotel is really the first commercial evidence of all the hard (work) that has gone into the south Frederica master plan.

“The vision, the foresight, the determination that brought DE Turf here across the street to life now has officially spawned the first of many services that were designed within that master plan to ultimately … affect the county, the stability and the growth here in Kent County, as well. … And I am proud to be a principal owner of this hotel, which I know will be a catalyst for smart responsible growth along this corridor.”

Bill Strickland, DE Turf’s board chairman, concurred.

“I see these young people with soccer balls, much like I (had) years ago when we broke ground across the street,” he said. “I see today a culmination of a vision that we, those who stood behind the DE Turf, had in mind. We wanted the DE Turf to become an economic driver for central Delaware. I’m pleased to say it has. But importantly, we also wanted to see other businesses come here, to serve as catalysts for future growth.”

The hotel will serve as a linchpin for the 22-acre Asbury Square, targeted for other services and amenities, including gas and convenience.

“We’re having conversations as we speak with multiple restaurant companies and other businesses that are going to join us here at the hotel. The hotel is kind of the first in that progression,” said Mr. Meoli. “Our hope is there will be restaurants here on these pad sites. … Nothing has been finalized at this point, other than the hotel. But a lot of good conversations are happening.”

Site work for the pads began in October, while it started for the hotel in December.

An April 2023 opening is planned for SpringHill Suites, which will feature an indoor pool, meeting space and several patios, including one with a large fire pit.

“The new SpringHill Suites will offer guests expanded rooms and guest amenities and is the ideal lodging property to service the guests of DE Turf, Bayhealth Hospital and the many tourists who travel every day along the Route 1 corridor,” said Mr. Meoli.

The businessman, whose ventures include 25 McDonald’s restaurants in Delaware and Maryland, is joined in the Asbury Square project by minority partners Mike Koppenhaver and John Paradee.

“Today, we applaud Mike, John and Mike for their vision, for their coming alongside this journey, which is going to convert this area of central Delaware into a true destination,” said Mr. Strickland.

Mr. Meoli added that he did preliminary legwork before pressing “go” on the initiative.

“First and foremost, I did my homework as soon as I knew that this exchange was being built. I knew the Department of Transportation was building these exchanges, at both north Frederica and south Frederica,” he said. “I was approached to actually put a McDonald’s here. Somebody approached me, ‘Do you have an interest in McDonald’s?’ I thought that I like this area for McDonald’s. But my next question was, ‘What about a hotel? I think that is probably the first component. Let’s bring the hotel in first, and I think the others will follow.’ That’s how I got in it.”

Asbury Square is being welcomed by the town of Frederica.

“This has been a long time coming. We have needed this for years,” said Mayor William “Chick” Glanden, who will be sworn in for his 19th year as mayor tonight. “Everybody knew DE Turf was coming, but it took a few years to get it going. Now that it is going, they need a hotel, a place to stay. I think this thing will start jumping with all the other stuff, the restaurants and all that.”

The hotel will resolve one of two major concerns in DE Turf’s poll of tournament organizers, additional lighting being the other. Originally, only five of DE Turf’s dozen fields were able to be lit.

“Thanks to our valued partners in the General Assembly, we were able to secure funding to construct lights this January and February to ensure that all 12 fields are lit now, moving forward,” said Mr. Strickland.

Last year, DE Turf contributed $56 million in direct economic impact to the state, he added.

“It is projected, with the new lights, that number moves to $80 million,” Mr. Strickland said. “We’re going to see an evolution of this corridor, and it’s a great thing, not only for central Delaware but for all of us here in the First State.”

Mr. Meoli sidestepped emphasis of his monetary investment in this development.

“I don’t have final numbers. Obviously, it’s a good investment. I think it’s a smart investment for where we are — the hotel, its proximity both to the DE Turf, to Bayhealth Hospital and a lot of other demand generators around here,” he said. “It certainly enhances Kent County. This hotel will clearly service the entire Milford, Frederica, Dover corridor, which includes parts of Harrington. When you look at that corridor, we’re situated right in the middle of it.”

He continued, “But let’s face it, tourism now is Delaware’s No. 1 industry. There are thousands and thousands of tourists who are coming through here, either visiting the Turf, many of them making their way down into Sussex County. I think both counties will benefit greatly.”

Tuesday’s groundbreaking featured a different twist. Rather than participants digging in with shovels, about a half-dozen members of DE Turf’s youth soccer leagues broke ground with a “kickoff,” booting soccer balls into the budding foundation.