A 78-room Holiday Inn Express and Suites is on the rise in Shenango Township.

Located next to the Route 60 interchange near the Hermitage border, the motel is tentatively scheduled to open in March, said Mark McHale, vice president of hotel operations for Travaglini Enterprises Inc., which owns the motel and will operate it.

The game plan is to solicit those hitting the area's golf courses, along with business travelers and people attending business meetings.

"We're excited in coming to that area,'' McHale said. "We're excited about that corridor. We think there will be strong activity there over the next few years.''

Along with a small meeting room that can handle 50, the motel will have a combination of rooms and suites complemented by an indoor pool and spa along with a water garden, patio deck and fountains. Rooms with Jacuzzis will be offered, along with romance suites with heart-shaped tubs. A presidential suite complete with living room, dining room and bedroom will also be available. Room rates will be in the $79 to $99 range, McHale said.