Published September 2003

Hospitality Industry Briefs

‘Casino style’ hotel proposed
for Quil Ceda Village
The concept of a “casino style” hotel geared toward gaming and entertainment is getting a hard look by the Tulalip Tribes, whose new $72 million casino opened earlier this summer.

“The standard hotel market is shot,” explained Peter Mills, business manager for the tribes’ Quil Ceda Village. “Revenues are down, and you can’t get financing. What we’re investigating is a casino hotel.”

His comments came during a recent meeting of the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, during which he addressed the tribes’ future development plans for its land along I-5 west of Marysville.

According to Mills, two studies have been commissioned regarding the feasibility of a casino hotel, a niche market that would fit into the tribes’ “synergistic business plan.”

The proposed casino would consist of 250 to 500 guestrooms and likely would be located south of the casino, Mills said. Cost for the project would be between $50 million and $60 million.

Other development plans for Quil Ceda Village include:

• A 140-store outlet mall that could employ more than 1,200 people. Mills said a lease was expected to be hammered out by October. Officials are negotiating with the Chelsea Property Group, which would invest about $50 million and join a partnership with the tribes in developing the mall. Envisioned is a mall on 55 acres near the tribes’ new casino that could include about 25 upscale retailers.
• Expansion of the current Wal-Mart store to add a grocery outlet. Mills said Wal-Mart has an option in its lease to create a superstore, “and they may exercise that.”
• Development of a 20-acre retail center that would include six stores and three restaurants for casual dining. About 200,000 square feet of retail is planned for the area. Mills said it would be suitable for such tenants as Borders books.
• Establishment of a 600-space recreational vehicle park. Mills said this idea was still in the speculative stage and would only make sense if the tribes develop entertainment such as a water park or theme park. He said such parks also must be studied carefully, because they require a lot of space and use a lot of utility capacity.

Holiday Inn Express planned
for south Everett
A Skagit County developer plans to build a Holiday Inn Express motel on the west side of the freeway at 128th Street SW in south Everett.

Dan Mitzel of Mount Vernon said the Holiday Inn Express will be a three-story motel with 85 rooms and 15 larger suites on undeveloped land adjacent to the Everett Inn. It will also have a small meeting space and breakfast bar.

“We thought it was a unique opportunity to bring a very well-known name into that marketplace,” Mitzel said of the $6 million project.

Mitzel, who also is part-owner of motels in Oak Harbor and Burlington, said he is on track to break ground by September. That would allow the new motel to open in June 2004. When open, the business could employ the equivalent of 20 full-time workers, Mitzel said.

Launched in 1991 as a midpriced, no-frills alternative to full-service hotels under the Holiday Inn name, Holiday Inn Express has been the fastest-growing brand in the motel industry. There are now more than 1,200 Holiday Inn Express locations. Like the Holiday Inn name, the brand is owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group.

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