From left are Fred Hanss, Potsdam Village Economic Development & Planning; Nick Russell, Community Bank NA; Pam Yurgartis, standing in for Mayor Steve Yurgartis; Marie Reagan, town supervisor Hamant Patel, Co-owner Visions Hotels; Paul Kessler, Potsdam Hampton Inn general manager; Marylee Ballou, Potsdam Chamber of Commerce director; Rakesh Patel, VP of Operations and David Moulton, Potsdam Chamber of Commerce board president.

POTSDAM -- The Hampton Inn was officially welcomed to the Potsdam business community Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony via the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce.

After more than 30 years of community leaders seeking a national chain hotel, Hampton Inn, 169 Market St., is now open for guests to stay.

The over seventy attendees comprised a cross section of interests: business/lodging owners, local officials, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and residents.

The event began with the singing of the National Anthem by seven members of A Sharp Arrangement. A Sharp Arrangement was formed at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music by a female student in 1994.

Remarks were given by Visions Hotels co-owner Hamant Patel and VP of Operations Rakesh Patel. Visions-Hotels was also represented by Emily Cudos, Area Sales Manager and Jeri Fedora GM of the Best Western/Carriage House in Watertown.

Potsdam’s Hampton Inn general manager Paul Kessler offered words of thanks to all, especially to his staff, for helping to make the hotel a reality.

Following the ribbon cutting photo, attendees enjoyed refreshments provided by Eben’s Hearth Restaurant and St. Lawrence Brewery. They also took a guided tour of the guestrooms, guest laundry, the fitness room, conference room, and indoor pool.

The building sits on a 3.44-acre site at 167 Market St., just south of McDonald’s.

The three-story building has 94 rooms.

The meeting room is 625 square feet, holds up to 50 people, has long or round tables, free high-speed internet and can be catered by many local restaurants.

The plan to build the hotel was announced in November 2012, and Andy Patel of Visions Hotels began buying up the lots needed, including property where Scoopuccinos, Ton’s Sports Bar, and Village Florist were previously located and arranging financing, which Patel said would total $6 million to $7 million.

With only a few locally owned motels and the higher-priced upscale Clarkson Inn in Potsdam to accommodate visitors, inviting people to come to Potsdam for major local events such as graduations, alumni weekends and sports tournaments was made more difficult by a lack of enough nearby lodging facilities.

To contact the hotel, call 265-0100.