Macon Will Host New 161-Room Hilton Hotel

Developers plan to break ground on a hotel project at the historic Newman Building in downtown Macon next year.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Commercial

Macon Will Host New 161-Room Hilton Hotel

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Plans are moving forward for a 161-room Hilton-branded hotel at the 15,780-square-foot Newman Building in downtown Macon. Developers intend to break ground on the project next year.

Why it matters

The local government induced the hotel development to increase hotel capacity in the downtown area. Financing for the project previously stalled due to a difficult lending market during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project is located at the 15,780-square-foot Newman Building, which was originally constructed in 1920. Developers are utilizing a Payment in Lieu of Taxes financial arrangement and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The players

MMI Capital

This investment firm is an owner of the Newman Building and is partnering on the redevelopment project.

Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority

This agency is responsible for facilitating land sales and public-private partnerships to foster commercial growth in the Macon area.

TMGOC Ventures

This real estate firm has partnered with current building owners to manage the hotel project development.

The details

The development team, including MMI Capital and Thornton Realty and Development, has partnered with TMGOC Ventures to revitalize the historic structure. The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority facilitated the deal by selling land located between First and Second Streets, with a provision to buy back a newly constructed parking garage upon completion.

The Newman Building was originally constructed in 1920.
The county granted official approval for the project in 2017.
Construction on the hotel is scheduled to break ground next year.
The D.T. Walton Lofts project is expected to be unveiled next spring.

Roadmap

This project utilizes state historic rehabilitation tax credits to incentivize the preservation and commercial reuse of aging urban infrastructure. It mirrors broader national trends where developers restore historic city-center buildings to compete with modern suburban hospitality options.

Residents and visitors can expect changes to downtown parking and foot traffic patterns once construction begins next year. The project is designed to increase local hotel capacity, which may impact the availability of lodging during major community events.

The takeaway

The transformation of the century-old Newman Building highlights the ongoing effort to modernize downtown Macon through adaptive reuse. Future development in the area remains tethered to the availability of capital and successful public-private partnerships.