Navin Shah, the city of Covington and the Newton County Office of Economic Development announced Thursday a new Holiday Inn Express and Suites will be coming to Covington. 

The new six-story hotel will be located on 14450 Paras Drive behind Shah’s other owned hotel property, Hampton Inn. 

The newest prototype of Holiday Inn Express and Suites will feature 110 rooms, of which 40 will be king and 30 king suite, 1,110 square feet of meeting room space, 750 square feet of outdoor patio and an extra-large fitness center. 

Shah said the extra king beds and fitness space will help accommodate the business community that has been coming through Covington looking for perspective locations, working for Baxter or visiting current local businesses. The project will cost an estimated $10.5 million. 

The new hotel will also require 35 new hires and more than 100 employees during the construction phase. 

The Holiday Inn Express and Suites is scheduled to break ground in by July 4 at the latest, and open Jan. 2, 2017.