"This is a very unique use. It doesn't interact or feed off the intermodal facility or the rail lines. It's a destination for car dealers," says Daniel J. McAuliffe, president of Allen Development Texas LLC, "and it creates a tremendous need for hotels in the area." Likewise, Adesa's 175-acre tract at 3501 Lancaster-Hutchins Rd., secured by a 20-year lease with options, is expected to be a catalyst for brand-new retail and restaurant development in the corridor.

The San Diego-based Allen Group has peppered Dallas Logistics Hub's master plan with eight hotels at two entrances to its land. McAuliffe tells GlobeSt.com that the hope is at least one hotel will be under construction at the eastern end when Adesa's complex comes on line in July 2009 and $8 million of road and utility line infrastructure is finished.

"We're trying to identify what levels of service we want to have and the flags we want to have," McAuliffe says. "There is a lot of interest from the hoteliers, but nobody has stepped up at this point." The door is open to sell a site, a build-to-suit or an Allen-owned hotel with a management company to run it for the kick-off play. Meanwhile, city leaders are in talks with retail developers for a number of prime sites, he says.