The possibility of building a hotel in Berlin — a long-held goal of city officials — is taking baby steps forward as finding a developer willing to take on the project remains elusive.

At a recent meeting of the Berlin Industrial Development and Park Authority, Chair Mike Caron said there have been discussions with several hotel companies, including Best Western and Microtel, which have responded positively to the idea of a hotel project. But, he said, the one thing that is missing is an investor or investors willing to put up to $3 million into the project to make it happen.

Bedford-based Melan Hotel Group, which has been working with the agency on the hotel initiative, has been charged with finding that investor.

Under a proposed schedule, construction would get underway in the spring of 2022, and the hotel would open in the summer of 2023.

Before hiring Melan earlier this year, BIDPA had reviewed the results of a comprehensive market demand study for a proposed 60-room hotel in Berlin. The study, by the Pinnacle Advisory Group, concluded a hotel was not financially feasible for Berlin because demand would come mostly from leisure visitors and would be largely seasonal. But the report said a 60-bed hotel was not feasible. It said incentives and creative financing could change that assessment.