Innisfree Hotels has broken ground on the future Hampton Inn by Hilton Pensacola Beach and the new home of the Hive Arts Academy in Pensacola, FL. The hotel is anticipated to open in 2028, while the academy is expected to debut next summer.
Together, the projects underscore the belief of Julian MacQueen, Innisfree’s founder/chairman, and Dr. Kim MacQueen that the company’s success should be reinvested in initiatives that strengthen the communities where it operates, according to the company.
“Julian and Kim have always believed that successful hospitality begins with investing in people,” said Ted Ent, president/CEO, Innisfree Hotels. “Every guest who chooses Pensacola Beach helps strengthen our local economy, and that success allows us to invest back into the community in meaningful ways. The new Hampton Inn will generate lasting economic benefits, while the Hive Arts Academy will help young people discover their talents and prepare for bright futures.”
The 215-room Hampton Inn will be Innisfree’s sixth hotel on Pensacola Beach and seventh in Escambia County. The addition will expand the company’s Pensacola Beach portfolio to 1,194 guestrooms and suites.
The beachfront hotel will introduce Pensacola Beach’s first hotel waterslides and feature amenities including a zero-entry lazy river with a shallow sun shelf for lounging; a two-level poolside bar and restaurant; more than 4,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space; an expanded Hampton breakfast dining area and buffet; and a private event patio overlooking the Gulf and pool complex. The property will also offer direct beach access.
The hotel will employ about 150 community members, bringing Innisfree’s local workforce to more than 825 teammates and will help the company’s Pensacola-area portfolio generate more than $16.6 million in expected annual tax revenues.
For Innisfree, the impact extends beyond the economy. Through the company’s philanthropic arm, the Hive Foundation, Innisfree reinvests a portion of its success into community programs.
The Hive Arts Academy will provide a permanent home for the foundation’s youth arts programming. Designed for students in grades 8 through 12, the academy encourages young people to explore their creative passions while building skills that prepare them for lifelong learning, according to the company.
The Hive Arts Academy will offer immersive instruction in visual arts, sculpture, culinary arts, sewing, fiber arts, engineering and fabrication, complemented by educational field trips, workshops and a visiting artist series in partnership with the Luna Fine Art Gallery. Students will also have opportunities to exhibit and sell their work at the Hilton Pensacola Beach through Brilliant Star, a Luna Fine Art Gallery.
The academy’s campus will feature more than 6,000 sq. ft. of covered space, including flexible studios, gallery space, a makerspace, a demonstration kitchen and specialized classrooms. Located near an Escambia County Area Transit stop, the facility will also improve accessibility for students from across the community and is expected to serve as a catalyst for continued investment within Pensacola’s Eastside Urban Infill and Redevelopment Area.