Brentwood businesses and residents can expect a financially healthy 2011, said City Administrator Chris Seemayer during a State of the City Address on Thursday.

Seemayer said the city's finances are improving compared to 2008 and 2009, two years when Brentwood endured some financial difficulty. He delivered the talk at a Brentwood Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Brentwood School District Conference Center to roughly 55 members.

"As the economy goes, so goes the city," he said.

He said 2010 was a rebound year for the city—which was helped by paying off the city's first tax-increment financing project at the Brentwood Promenade—and expects more retail growth in 2011.

Seemayer said the city hopes negotiations between Drury Hotels, the Missouri Department of Transportation and a private resident will lead to a firm contract for a new hotel on the corner of Eager Road and Brentwood Boulevard.

Drury wants to develop land that's currently owned by multiple entities but is confident the hotel chain will buy the property by summer. Construction of the hotel and a currently unidentified restaurant would take 18 months, Seemayer said.

Seemayer made other announcements during the speech:

• The Brentwood Fire Department moved into its new building on Tuesday.
• The Brentwood Board of Aldermen haven't decided on a future for the Brentwood Recreation Complex. The city commissioned a study to create multiple options. The aldermen have debated building an entirely new building or upgrading the current one, but both options will cost a lot of money, Seemayer said.
• The city hopes to increase its promotional campaigns following the success of its holiday radio advertisements, Seemayer said. For the past two years, the city bought radio ads that encouraged folks to shop in Brentwood. The current budget for advertising is $32,000 but the city wants to expand that. Seemayer mentioned a hotel/motel tax as a possibility to help pay for more advertising.

After Seemayer's presentation, Michael Daming, president of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, recognized the Board of Directors and welcomed new members. He said he was proud of the chamber's accomplishments in 2010, which included the launch of a new website and addition of 40 new members, and is confident 2011 will be even more successful.