Construction on a new conference center and hotel in Bellevue could take 12 to 18 months.
Bellevue and business officials broke ground Thursday on the 25,000 square-foot conference center, and 122 room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. It’ll be located in the Twin Creek area along 36th Street, north of Highway 370.
Bellevue City Councilman Don Preister says the development meets a need in an area that's becoming the geographic center of the city.
"And yet, as you look around you, a lot of it is open area. It is going to help to connect the rest of the community, to do some fill-in, and make this an even more viable area, I think is extremely important."
The conference center will cost $8 million and the hotel $15 million. Bellevue received a state grant for the project.
Both the conference center and hotel could be open next fall.