Business Beat: New Longview restaurant moving forward 

Published 5:45 am Monday, February 23, 2026

Seven Point Seafood and Bar received initial approval this month from the city of Longview to operate as a restaurant with a private club that serves mixed drinks along with beer and wine.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the necessary specific use permit for the restaurant, which will be in the Brookwood Village shopping center on McCann Road at Fairmont Street.

John Ferrell, a partner in the ownership of Brookwood Village, addressed the commission, saying that the restaurant’s owners, David Lu and his wife, Betsy, already run two other “high-end and successful” restaurants in Longview. Lu owns KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, while his wife owns The Mighty Crab.

“This is a very exciting event for Brookwood Village and the McCann Road area,” Ferrell said.

The restaurant is expected to open later this year.

Lodging Host marks 2025 accomplishments

Longview-based Lodging Host Hotel Corp. said it ended 2025 with “strong forward momentum, highlighted by a major new development opening, portfolio expansion, and continued construction activity across Texas.”

The hotel management company started construction in 2024 on a new Residence Inn by Marriott near Interstate 20 in Longview that is expected to open mid-year.  The company expects the project to support continued business travel and economic activity in that area while meeting rising demand for extended-stay accommodations.

“We see the south side of Longview as an area with meaningful opportunity,” said Kevin Hilchey, CEO & president, in a statement. “Our goal with this Residence Inn is not only to serve existing demand, but to help attract additional business activity and industry growth by delivering a high-quality hospitality product that supports long-term economic development on the south side of Longview.”

The “major new” development the company mentioned is the Cambria Northlake Conference Center, which Lodging Host described as a “full-service hotel and purpose-built meetings destination.” The conference center was built in collaboration with the city of Northlake in Denton County. It includes 111 guest rooms and 8,000-square-feet of flexible event and meeting space.

“Designed to serve as a regional hub for corporate meetings, training sessions, and association events, the conference center accommodates gatherings ranging from small intimate events and gatherings to events as large as 550 attendees, with five distinct meeting spaces configurable to fit a wide range of group needs,” Lodging Host reported.

In 2025, Lodging Host also expanded its managed portfolio with the assumption of management for the Homewood Suites Austin South/Airport, marking the company’s re-entry into the Austin market. The addition brings Lodging Host’s portfolio to 11 properties under management, totaling 958 guest rooms across nine branded and independent hotels, and reinforces the company’s focus on strategically located extended-stay assets in high-demand markets across Texas.

Lodging Host also will assume management of the Hyatt Place Dallas/North Arlington/Grand Prairie and the Hampton Inn Austin/Airport Area South this month.

The company expects the Residence Inn by Marriott project in Longview to support continued business travel and economic activity in the I-20 area while meeting rising demand for extended-stay accommodations.

“These milestones reflect strong partnerships, thoughtful development, and a focus on building high-performing assets,” Hilchey added. “We are entering 2026 with meaningful momentum across both development and operations.”

For more information, visit www.lodginghost.com .

Kilgore Walmart renovations

Work is expected to begin in July on a $250,000 renovation at Kilgore’s Walmart.

Information from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation says the project would “revise checkout layout, add self-contained refrigerated cases … (and) add sushi service kiosk.”

The renovation covers 7,069 square feet and is expected to be completed in August.

Home prices up slightly

Longview-area home prices rose 2% in January compared with 2025. The median home price in January was $250,000.

Active listings were up 23% to 289 homes on the market in January. Actual closed sales, though remained flat, with 47 home sales closing that month.

— Business Beat appears Wednesday. If you have items for the column, email to newsroom@newsjournal.com; mail to Business Section, Longview News-Journal, P.O. box 1792, Longview, TX 75606; or call (903) 237-7744.