Bell Gardens : Grant Sought for Hotel

Bell Gardens will be submitting a grant application at the end of this month requesting $2.2 million to offset costs for a proposed $20-million hotel project south of the Bicycle Club.

The money will be used for property acquisition and street improvements, said Claude Booker, city manager. He said two public hearings were necessary before the city could apply for Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. The city has begun negotiating with a developer to build a 150- to 200-room hotel with a restaurant, health club and meeting room.