CRISFIELD, Md. -- City leaders in Crisfield are adding a high-end hotel and hotel conference center to the city's list of top priorities.
Mayor Darlene Taylor confirmed the council's decision and discussion with WBOC on Wednesday.
Last weekend, crowds of people made their way to the area to see the world's largest rubber duck in town. Several businesses and restaurants benefited from the boom in tourists, but only for a short while.
"We don't have a tremendous amount of activities or anything like that to offer," says From Scratch kitchen manager John Marshall. "A lot of people that came to town, they filled up our hotels which was great, but then they had to stay out of town and then travel back in to town just to see the attraction."
Mayor Taylor says the hotel and hotel conference room will give people a place to stay. The idea will fall at No.10 on a list of the city's Top 10 Priorities. Also on the list are revitalization on Main St., business development, waterfront development, and infrastructure improvement.
"We have to have places for people to stay," says Waters Edge Café owner Danny Nelson. "This is more than just a day trip town, this is a vacation town."
Crisfield Arts and Entertainment Coordinator Heather Ross says adding the hotel is a no-brainer.
"I think we have a lot of really well established stores and restaurants that would only benefit from people staying longer than a day or a few hours," says Ross. "So anything that can enhance Crisfield and allow people to enjoy people for a longer time is great."
The Mayor says Crisfield has already received interest from people wanting to invest in a hotel and conference center. Crisfield leaders will continue discussing the idea in future council meetings.