The already bustling Club Hotel and Suites by DoubleTree, the first hostelry near the financial district in Downtown Jersey City, got an official ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday with Mayor Bret Schundler, who is already looking forward to a half-dozen more hotel celebrations.

"The grand opening of the Club Hotel by DoubleTree along the waterfront marks an historic milestone in the resurgence of Jersey City," Schundler said at the ceremony. "Not only does the hotel provide a vital service to a generation of business travelers, it also provides employment opportunities to Jersey City residents .... "

On July 7, the $14 million hotel opened its doors and its 199 guest suites have already been filling not just with business travelers, but with tourists and people visiting area residents.

General Manager Sam Calello said interest in the hotel was so great that he immediately booked several Christmas parties. Rates for business visitors start at $169. Calello said comparable rooms in Manhattan go for $250 to $300 per night. Nonbusiness travelers can make reservations for weekends at lower rates.

The opening comes during a waterfront development boom. There is about 6.5 million square feet of quality office space Downtown with another 2 million Square feet that will be ready for occupancy by next year, city officials say.

With a growing waterfront business community, there has been a clamor for more amenities, including hotels and restaurants.

More hotels are on the way.

The city Planning Board has approved a subdivision at 30-50 Hudson Street, waterfront land owned by Colgate-Palmolive. Hartz Mountain Industries is constructing a 14-story office building at 90 Hudson Street and has exercised its option to purchase 70 Hudson Street for another office building. City officials believe Hartz is interested in building a hotel at 50 Hudson Street.

A 189-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel is expected to be constructed just north of the Pavonia Avenue PATH station on Washington Boulevard, and at Second Street and Hudson streets, land is being graded for construction of a 213 room Candlewood Business Suite Hotel.

On a pier just off Exchange Place, Mack-Call Inc., owner of Harborside Financial Center, is proposing a 300 room hotel. And Schundler has revealed that an unnamed investor is negotiating to purchase the city-owned Flintkote property, a tumbled-down warehouse off Henderson Street near the Morris Canal.