Destination Waterfront

Waterfront Hotel Proposed Project Update

The Port of Olympia is advancing long-term waterfront revitalization as part of its Destination Waterfront vision, aimed at transforming the Port Peninsula into a vibrant, accessible and economically sustainable destination. As part of this broader initiative, a waterfront hotel proposal has recently emerged as a potential catalytic development project.

Port and the Swantown Marina Waterfront

Redevelopment of the marina-adjacent parcel has been contemplated in Port planning documents for many years, including early “Marina Village” concepts and more recent, community-informed planning through Vision 2050 and the Destination Waterfront planning effort.

These efforts established a vision for the Port Peninsula as a marine-focused destination that integrates marina operations, public access, tourism, environmental stewardship, and financial sustainability.

What Happened Most Recently

In January 2026, the Port Commission was briefed on concepts submitted (pages 20-33 in the packet from Jan. 20, 2026 Commission Work Session)  in response to the Port’s October 2025 Solicitation of Interest. The briefing included conceptual information about a waterfront hotel idea proposed for the site. This meeting was reported on and the outcomes were summarized in The Olympian article: Olympia port commission largely supports waterfront hotel, with one exception

This briefing builds off of two previous Port Commission work sessions held on 5/19/25 and 6/16/25, in which the Commission gave clarity to the project by developing guiding principles and discussing methods of attracting potential interested development partners. This work was incorporated into a Solicitation of Interest released on October 1, 2025 as reported in the following article in The Olympian: Port of Olympia seeking developers with vision for 6 acres at Swantown

Who Is Kalyan Hospitality

Kalyan Hospitality brings over 30 years of experience in developing and operating award-winning hotels across major brands, with a proven track record of delivering projects that reflect the culture, environment, and values of the communities they serve.

Their goal for a hotel at Swantown Marina is to “create a signature destination that connects Olympia’s working waterfront with its civic heart, where hospitality, recreation, and community come together”.

They own over 40 hotels in the United States and are the owners of the downtown Olympia Doubletree Hotel.

Conceptual Nature of the Proposal

The materials presented by Kalyan — and discussed with the Commission — are illustrative and conceptual only. They are intended to demonstrate potential alignment with Port vision and principles, not to represent final design or binding commitments.

The proposal includes:

• a major-brand boutique-style hotel with approximately 120 rooms,
• incorporation of Swantown Marina office space into the development site,
• public-facing elements such as food and beverage, meeting/event space, roof top bar
• strengthened connection to waterfront pedestrian pathways.

Financial and Policy Considerations

At this stage:

• It is too early to determine final financial terms or returns.
• The Port has not approved a real estate transaction or development agreement.
• Any long-term agreement will require future Commission action.

Environmental and Regulatory Expectations

Any development moving forward would be subject to:

• City of Olympia land use and permitting requirements
• the Shoreline Master Program
• SEPA environmental review
• Climate resilience — including planning for sea level rise and flooding, will be a central requirement of any future design process.

Next Steps

The Commission provided guidance to staff to:

• Work towards entering into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with the Kalyan Hospitality to provide time to refine program, uses, financial structure, and public benefits,
• initiating preliminary discussions with the City of Olympia and regulatory bodies, and
• returning to the Commission for formal consideration of any proposed agreement.

An ENA does not commit the Port to a project; it merely provides a structured process for further evaluation.