Planeview owner Dirk Binnema and Cobblestone partners Brian Wogernese and Mark Pomerenke plan to build a 7,500-square-foot 
Binnema said the site averages 150 trucks per-night and, "I'm sure some of the drivers would appreciate a nice bed." Wogernese added that the site's U.S. Highway 41 frontage and proximity to the Country USA fairgrounds and the Experimental Aircraft Association grounds should generate additional business.
"We're filling a niche that isn't being filled right now," Wogernese said.
The hotel would boost Oshkosh's available room numbers from 906 right now to 937. Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Wendy Hielsberg said any additional rooms help market Oshkosh and bolster tourism in the region.
But she also said the city is "not close to having the number of rooms we had available" years ago when the Pioneer Resort and Ramada Inn were still open and the city's total room count was above 1,200.
"Thirty rooms, 40 rooms, 50 rooms, anything is great and Brian Wogernese knows how to manage
Cobblestone Inn and Suites hotels are sized to serve smaller communities and have been built in Brillion, Clintonville and Durand. Wogernese and Pomerenke said building one here in Oshkosh will also serve as a showcase for investors looking to develop Cobblestone hotels elsewhere in the Midwest.
Plan Commissioner Kathy Propp said she liked the design and appearance of the project and hoped it would bolster business at the State Highway 26/U.S. Highway 41 interchange.
"It should be a huge shot in the arm for that interchange," Propp said.
The project must be approved by the Oshkosh Common Council before it can move forward.
— Jeff Bollier: