Not one, but two new hotels could be in the city’s near future, Natchez aldermen say. On Tuesday, the aldermen amended the city map to rezone property adjacent to South Canal and Simmons streets from two-family residential to general business.

Several aldermen said the property’s owners, Joe Fortunato and Noland Biglane, plan to have a hotel constructed on the three-acre site.

The map amendment comes just one week after a preliminary study of the city’s Under and On-Top-of-the-Hill districts looked at a future hotel development across from the downtown convention center site, also on Canal Street.

But aldermen say the two hotels will complement one another, rather than compete.

&uot;Anything that brings economic development to this town, we welcome it,&uot; Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West, Ward 4, said. West said he thinks the hotel on South Canal will employ between 60 and 80 people, possibly more.

Ward 5 Alderman David Massey mentioned the same numbers and was equally pleased with Fortunato and Biglane’s plans.

Convention center plans call for about 400 additional hotel rooms throughout the city to accommodate conventioneers, Massey said.

&uot;It fits right in as a matter of fact, and we’re really happy about it,&uot; Massey said.

Alderwoman Sue Stedman, Ward 3, agreed. &uot;It think it will be great,&uot; she said. &uot;I don’t think it will have a negative affect on the convention center hotel at all.&uot;

Stedman, who also oversees the city’s public properties, said the hotel the city is hoping to draw for the convention center would have between 200 and 250 rooms.

The Biglane-Fortunato development is expected to be between 100 and 150 rooms.

&uot;I think they’ll complement each other,&uot; Ward 6 Alderman Jake Middleton said. &uot;I don’t think it’ll be a competitive thing.&uot;

Fortunato and Biglane have been involved with hotel development before, Middleton said.

&uot;They pretty much know what the market will bear,&uot; he said.

Neither Fortunato, Biglane or their attorney, Bruce Kuehnle, could be reached for comment.

Tourism Director Walter Tipton said the maximum capacity for a seated meal at the convention center is 1,200 people.

Currently, 905 hotel rooms are available in the city, plus 178 rooms at bed and breakfasts.

&uot;But, in our opinion, only about 5 (current) properties are convention-standard hotels,&uot; Tipton said. &uot;We could definitely stand two new hotels; there’s no doubt about it,&uot; he said.

City Planner David Preziosi said Fortunato and Biglane have not submitted official plans for the site and could not confirm plans for a hotel.

Before construction may begin, a site plan of the proposed development must go before a review committee which will work with the applicants on such issues as parking and sewage, Preziosi said.

To accommodate the neighboring Union Missionary Baptist Church, the aldermen, led by Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux, have requested that a &uot;buffer zone&uot; be considered in the site review process.

Preziosi said a buffer zone can be a strip of undeveloped land or fencing that would provide a barrier between the hotel and the church.

The property is also bordered by the Natchez Visitor Reception Center, the Isle of Capri hotel and undeveloped land.