SpringHill Suites opens in Frederica

Located north of Milford on Route 1, SpringHill Suites by Marriott held its grand opening Aug. 22, bringing an exciting new amenity to a growing area of central Delaware.

The hotel, which broke ground in January 2022, features 86 suites as well as a pool, fitness room, conference room and convenience store. The hotel is part of a larger development of 22 acres near Frederica known as Asbury Square, which co-developer Mike Meoli said would include restaurant and retail establishments. Meoli is partners in the business with John Paradee and Michael Koppenhaver.

The development of Asbury Square was spurred on by the DE Turf sports complex across the highway, which Meoli said serves athletes from 32 states who come to play in soccer, field hockey and lacrosse tournaments.

Meoli said the comfortable rooms are built to include enough space to accommodate families. Besides the turf fields, Meoli said the growth of residences and businesses like Bayhealth’s Sussex Campus in Milford and the accompanying Nemours clinic next door were factors in why he decided a hotel was needed in the Milford/Frederica corridor. 

“I think there’s plenty of business here. The hotel had to come first. It is certainly our hope as the developer of this entire 22-acre parcel that we will get the restaurants and retail establishments to come along, seeing the success of the hotel,” he said. 

Meoli, who also owns numerous McDonald’s franchises in the Cape Region, as well as three other hotels, said the most exciting part of the hotel opening to guests Aug. 18 is that it fulfills some of the promise of the turf fields, which were built as a way to help spur economic development in central Delaware. 

“This hotel is the first iteration of that growth,” he said.

Besides economic growth, Meoli said the hotel also provides jobs, with 30-40 people on full-time staff. Building at Asbury Square has already started, Meoli said, with the first retail establishment going up to house a liquor store. 

“With the Asbury Square project underway, we’ve opened new pathways for continued growth through the development of additional restaurants, retail stores, hospitality services and attractions that will further set Kent County apart, and attract visitors beyond those connected with athletics,” Meoli said. “SpringHill Suites Frederica is excited to be a cornerstone of this economic growth, to support the integrity of the community through our service excellence, and to invest our resources to contribute to a thriving community in and around Frederica.”