STR: U.S. hotel construction up 6.8% in January

Among major markets, six reported more than 5,000 rooms under construction between new builds and expansion projects. New York led with 13,108 rooms, which represented 10.3% of the market’s existing supply, followed by Las Vegas (9,076 rooms, 5.5% of existing supply). 

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE - STR's hotel pipeline data for the U.S. showed 1,615 projects accounting for 208,807 rooms in construction as of the end of January 2020. This represented a 6.8% year-over-year increase in the number of rooms in the final phase of the development pipeline. 

“The industry is now up to more than 208,000 rooms in construction, which is as close as the country has come to the prior end-of-month peak of 211,700 in December 2007,” said Bobby Bowers, STR’s senior VP of operations. “When looking at year-over-year growth and percentage of existing supply, the pipeline has remained pretty steady on a national level. However, the story remains the same with a disproportionate amount of activity in certain markets and the limited-service sectors.”

In absolute values, a majority of the country’s construction activity continues to be focused in the select-service segments.  

1. Upscale: 64,945 rooms
2. Upper Midscale: 63,528 rooms

Among major markets, six reported more than 5,000 rooms under construction between new builds and expansion projects. New York led with 13,108 rooms, which represented 10.3% of the market’s existing supply, followed by Las Vegas (9,076 rooms, 5.5% of existing supply). 

1. New York: 13,108 rooms (10.3%)
2. Las Vegas: 9,076 rooms (5.5%)
3. Orlando: 7,949 rooms (6.1%)
4. Los Angeles/Long Beach: 6,430 rooms (6.1%)
5. Nashville: 6,287 rooms (13.1%)
6. Dallas: 5,975 rooms (6.4%)