SOUTH PORTLAND — Developers have proposed two hotels in the Maine Mall area that would bring two of Hilton’s newer brands to Maine.

A 98-room Tru by Hilton is proposed at 363 Maine Mall Road, next to an existing Hilton DoubleTree Hotel and Chipotle and Cracker Barrel restaurants. Tru is a fledgling brand launched this year to attract leisure and business travelers with a “millennial mindset.”

A 110-room Home2 Suites by Hilton is proposed at 50 Maine Mall Road, where a cluster of hexagonal, wood-frame retail buildings now stands. Home2 is a pet-friendly, extended-stay brand launched in 2009 with 119 hotels across the country, the nearest in New York.

The two hotels are the first proposed in South Portland in about a decade and reflect overall growth in the hospitality industry in Greater Portland.

“These projects are an indication of what’s happening in the region related to the growth in tourism and the economy in general,” said Josh Reny, assistant city manager and economic development director. “The lodging industry has been able to sustain growth for several years now in Portland and now here.”

Last month, the Portland Planning Board approved a 150-room AC Hotel by Marriott to be built on the city’s eastern waterfront. It’s the latest of several recent additions to the hospitality sector in the Old Port, including a Hyatt Place and Courtyard Marriott.

Reny noted that the proposed hotels would expand South Portland’s tax base – the Tru is expected to cost $8.5 million to build and the Home2 project is estimated at $7.4 million. They’ll also attract more people to other businesses in South Portland, Reny said, as well as travelers using the nearby interstates 95 and 295 and the Portland International Jetport.

“There’s going to be a ripple effect,” Reny said.

Both hotels are tentatively scheduled for Planning Board review July 12, and both projects are allowed under existing zoning regulations in the commercial district.

The Tru is being developed by Joe Van Why of Tampa, Florida, owner of the round-towered DoubleTree Hotel, according to the project’s application. He’s seeking minor subdivision and site plan amendments to allow a four-story hotel where a retail building was previously approved.

Hilton recently started building its first two Tru hotels in Oklahoma City and McDonough, Georgia. The brand targets travelers who are on a budget but seeking value, according to the website. They also want to “connect with others and want to be part of something bigger than themselves.”

The rooms will feature “a super-comfy bed, a great shower, a high-quality breakfast, up-to-the-minute technology and on-demand entertainment – served up in a surprisingly affordable way.” Public spaces will include a re-envisioned lobby area called “the hive,” as well as lounge, play, dining and work areas where guests can interact with others or complete a project in a sound-absorbing alcove.

The Home2 project is proposed by New Gen Ventures, a South Portland company headed by Suresh Gali that also operates Howard Johnson Hotel at 675 Main St., Econo Lodge at 80 John Roberts Road, Days Inn at 461 Maine Mall Road and Comfort Inn at 90 Maine Mall Road.

Gali is seeking a site plan review. The Home2 proposal calls for demolishing existing buildings and constructing a four-story hotel and an adjacent 10,000-square-foot office/retail building, possibly to accommodate a restaurant, according to the project’s application.

The Home2 brand emphasizes its sustainable design and operations, including earth-friendly building materials and pool chemicals, energy-saving kitchen equipment and furnishings, and readily available recycling stations.

A typical room includes complimentary Wi-Fi and printing, fully equipped kitchen, professional work area, sofa bed and 42-inch TV. Daily rates at other Home2 hotels range from $100 to $150, depending on location, amenities and discounts.

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