Butler County is witnessing growth in its hotel industry.

Jack Cohen, executive director of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said Thursday that three new hotels are getting close to starting construction in Cranberry Township, while construction at a hotel in Slippery Rock is restarting.

The county now has 1,200 rooms, which will climb to 2,000 when all the construction is completed, Cohen said.

Jerry Andree, Cranberry Township manager, listed the three hotels nearing construction in the township as:

• Mallards Landing, part of a business development at Graham School and Rochester roads, six stories with 58,700 square feet;

• Camberia Suites is negotiating to buy the former Hereford & Hops Restaurant site on Route 228;

• An unidentified hotel is to be built at the Oak Tree Plaza, which is owned by the Walnut Capital Group, across from Perkins on Route 19.

Andree said the rooms will be welcome because the number of business travelers and visitors continues to grow in the township.

In the northwestern corner of the county, the hotel in Slippery Rock on Grove City Road has resumed construction.

The 10-acre site will include a $12 million Marriott Fairfield Inn, an 18,000-square-foot retail mall and four restaurants.