WORCESTER, Mass. - Reports of a local university's plans to acquire two Worcester hotels and turn them into student housing has some business and city leaders unhappy.

In a letter to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's president, the city manager, mayor, Worcester Chamber of Commerce and other organizations said they're stunned to hear the school has been looking to buy both the Hampton Inn on Prescott Street and the Courtyard by Marriot on Grove Street. 

The leaders said it never came up during several meetings with WPI about its future plans.

The group opposes the proposal, citing it would take nearly $760,000 off the city's property tax roll and eliminate a quarter of the city's hotel rooms. 

"It was really kind of hard to believe that something like this would be proposed without a full vetting and engagement with the community” said Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Tim Murray. “Like I said, there are sectors of the business community that rely on these hotels. The DCU, Polar Park, smaller venues, our restaurants, the Hanover Theater.  People use these hotels and to have them come offline for student housing and off the tax rolls, the consequences are very significant in a multitude of ways."

Spectrum News 1 reached out to WPI for comment and they said Monday evening they don't have one at this time.