The United Tribes Technical College board of directors approved the next step in the school's plan to build a hotel. The board voted Saturday morning to authorize the hotel advisory committee to move to the next phase, which is the development phase.

The idea is to build a 250-room hotel and 30,000-square-foot convention center, which UTTC would like to use as a training ground for hotel management and culinary students, as well as provide for an additional revenue stream for the college.

The development phase includes such steps as site selection, financing, building pre-design, management and partnerships.

The board reviewed the feasibility study and advisory committee coordinator Barbara Schmitt gave a presentation on the project.

The board also authorized the committee to seek funding for the development phase from government, tribal and other sources. It's estimated that $200,000 to $300,000 will be needed.