The Quality Inn off of 55th street in Valley, not far from Fob James Drive and exit 77 on Interstate 85, is prepared to put a $250,000 tax break to work.

The hotel has already invested $300,000 worth of improvements in recent years after being closed following a fire. The hotel had to undergo extensive renovations and reopened under new ownership.

At first glance, this may not seem like big news, but we feel it’s the kind of thing that can truly fly under the radar.

Just about everyone reading this space has a residence in the Greater Valley Area, or enough of a connection to have somewhere to stay when they visit. Since that’s the case, most of us never think much about the area’s hotels, unless our family is coming to town.

However, thousands of people pass through Valley every day thanks to Interstate 85, and not everyone wants to stay in Atlanta, Columbus, Newnan or LaGrange. Valley has plenty to offer in the way of fast food restaurants, which is all many families need for a one night stop for a quick rest.

A hotel essentially serves as the gatekeeper for a city.

A visitor’s first perspective of this area is often the people they meet at the hotel and the quality of where they are staying.

One bad impression means they might choose to stay elsewhere next time, while a good experience might result in a frequent traveler feeling comfortable in our region and repeating their stay in the same hotel.

Improvements at the Quality Inn can only be a good thing, not only for the hotel but for our local economy and for tourism.

Upgraded hotels result in better ratings and better ratings result in a better reputation for the area as a whole. Better hotels can encourage more visitors to come, stay longer and put more money into the local economy. That’s a good thing for the Greater Valley Area moving forward.