NEWBERRY — Members of the Newberry Business Alliance shared their excitement over business announcements at their Monday night meeting.

Despite numerous rumors that the Hampton Inn at Main and Nance streets was closing, Director of Sales Cynthia Vannerson told the crowd that the landmark hotel is being upgraded.

Over the past year, the hotel’s owner died but the facility will be managed for the next year-and-a-half by the Hampton Inn cooperation. In the next couple of months, work will start to give the Hampton Inn a new lobby and fitness center.

The rooms will also be painted and new furniture and mattresses will be put in the rooms and hotel.

The First Community Bank in Prosperity also will be getting a new facility. The bank has bought adjoining land will be building a new entrance to the town.

The movie and bowling complex on Wilson Road at Main Street is still moving forward, said Joe Trainor, who is in communication with the owner.

He said the owner is working to bring in a new restaurant to the strip mall. Work is being done to update the shopping center’s exterior.

Trainor said the owner of the development is working on projects out of the country and there is no time frame for when the movie and bowling alley complex will be completed.

Marilyn Sease, director of the Newberry Campus for Piedmont Technical College, told the group the new campus on Wilson Road at Evans Street is open. An open house will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

So far, 655 students are taking classes at the new Piedmont Tech campus this semester. The last day to register for the late term is not until Feb. 19 and more students are expected to register.

Scott Joyner, vice president of Newberry College, told the group of over 40 members that The Newberry Observer’s story that the college was starting a social media degree was picked up by national news outlets. He added the college is also starting a dance team and growing its band.