WILTON – A groundbreaking celebration for Comfort Inn & Suites was held at the construction site near the Wilton and Farmington town line on Routes 2 and 4 Tuesday.

Richard Lafrance, president of Lafrance Hospitality, a family business based in Westport, Mass., has started construction on his first Maine hotel. The company owns six hotels throughout New England.

The $6 million hotel will include 88 guest rooms, meeting spaces, a fitness center, swimming pool and guest laundry. Plans are to open it in June 2008 with 19 to 25 new jobs are expected, Lafrance said.

Alison Hagerstrom, director of the Greater Franklin Development Corp., said she has been working aggressively the past five years to bring a hotel to the area and has been working with Lafrance over the past two years.

“It’s a great opportunity for the town of Wilton,” said Paul Gooch, selectmen’s chairman. “I’m looking forward to a strong and prosperous relationship with Lafrance.”

Ground work completed by E.L. Vining and Son Inc. of Farmington started in August, and Raynor Inc. of Jay will be working on the project along with crews from Opechee Construction of Belmont, N.H., and other local contractors, said Dana Adams of Opechee. There have been 10 to 20 workers on the site recently, he said, but he expects closer to 100 at the height of construction.

With completion of the hotel, there will be opportunity to enhance tourism, Hagerstrom said, adding the hotel will become a destination for conferences and meetings.