PARSIPPANY, NJ HOTEL BUSINESS. has learned that Wingate Inns International plans to make two technology initiative announcements at its brand conference, which runs April 19-22 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, FL.
“One involves an express check-in terminal and the other is an enhancement to our Lodgenet package,” said Keith Pierce, president/CEO of the Cendant-owned brand, declining to give further details.
Pierce said there would be three other “sizable overall Cendant Corp. announcements” made as well.
Wingate currently has 120-125 properties open and under construction. The brand, known for its high-tech amenities, recently unveiled a new, 64-room prototype designed for smaller land parcels. The new design joins Wingate s existing 100-room prototype.
Pierce said Wingate developed the smaller product because it had been approached by developers who wanted to build the brand in primary markets, but were unable to because their land parcel was too small for the 100-room model.
Mezzanine financing could potentially be available to developers to build the prototype, but Pierce emphasized that each situation would “really be driven by the size and scope of the deal.” (3/14/01) Ruthanne Terrero