Ground broken for new Hilton Home2 Suites in Wasilla

Despite the wind, ground was finally broken on the Home2 Suites by Hilton located in Wasilla at the future Shoppes at Sun Mountain, on June 4.

“This has been five years in the making,” said Cameron Johnson, co-owner of H5 Construction.

“We’ve had so many head winds on this project, and we didn’t know if this would ever come to fruition,” he said before the groundbreaking. He went on to thank those who have worked to make the project a reality, including the City of Wasilla, Northrim Bank, partner Ric Marko, and the dedicated team at H5 Construction, emphasizing that “this hotel will be a key part of the Shoppes at Sun Mountain, helping drive traffic and support to all our tenants.”

The Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce joined H5 Construction and community leaders to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new hotel.

“Today’s groundbreaking is more than just the start of construction—it’s the next step in shaping Wasilla’s future as a hub for commerce, tourism, and community,” said Jessica Viera, CEO of the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce. “Bringing Hilton to Wasilla signals to visitors and businesses alike that our city is ready to welcome and serve the world. We’re proud to support the partners who made this possible and are excited for what this means for the Valley.”

The event marked a significant milestone in regional economic development and hospitality. Johnson and H5 Construction began building the massive shopping center in 2018 with popular tenants that now include Krispy Kreme, Planet Fitness, MTA, Zag Invisible Shield, Tacos Cancun and Fred Meyer Fuel.

With anchor tenants for the smaller shopping centers, the four-story Hilton building will upgrade the hotel options in the Valley and provide a backdrop for The Shoppes at Sun Mountain.

“Exciting times for the City of Wasilla and the Mat-Su Borough. Cameron Johnson stated it had been his vision starting in 2015. Ten years is a long time, but it is time now. Glad to be a part of Cameron’s dream coming true,” remarked Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries, who was on hand for the groundbreaking.

Though not in attendance, City of Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford echoed this enthusiasm, said in a news release:

“We’re proud to welcome Hilton to Wasilla and to play a role in making this development a success. By partnering to provide essential water and sewer services, the City has helped ensure that this project could move forward smoothly.”

The Home2 Suites by Hilton will bring much-needed accommodations to the Mat-Su Valley, supporting local tourism, business travel, and the area’s vibrant calendar of sporting and event activities. The Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce celebrates this development as a cornerstone for future investment and growth in the region.

Ric Marko, with Affinity Hospitality, the hotel developers for the Home2 Suites, which had most recently acquired and remodeled the Best Western Lake Lucille Inn, said that after successfully building a Home2 Suites in Anchorage and coming across the market in the Mat-Su, believes another Home2 will do well here.

“This is our second Home2 and if this one does well, we’re planning on doing a second building.”

He said the second would be a Courtyard by Marriot, bringing a second nationally recognized hotel to the Mat-Su.

Johnson shared the story behind the project’s journey:

“Bringing a major brand hotel to the Mat-Su Valley has been a dream of mine since 2015, and breaking ground on Home2 Suites by Hilton is a huge milestone for our community. We started this project in early 2020, just before the pandemic, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it come to life as the Valley’s first nationally branded hotel.”

Johnson had first announced that Hilton agreed to build a 107-unit Home 2 Suites at The Shoppes at Sun Mountain back in 2020, saying at the time: “We’re providing a more upscale business friendly hotel that has all of the amenities that can provide the services that more upscale clientele are looking for and the Valley’s never had that so we think it’ll be a great addition to not just our center but to the entire Mat-Su Valley.”