RLHC Signs Franchise License Agreement for Hotel RL in St. Louis
Following Renovations, St. Louis Airport Property Slated to Become Upscale Hotel RL in 2016
SPOKANE, Wash. -- RLHC (Red Lion Hotels Corporation) (NYSE:RLH) today announced the company has signed its fifth location and first franchise license agreement for Hotel RL, its upscale lifestyle brand. Following a multi-million dollar renovation incorporating signature design elements, Hotel RL St. Louis Airport is expected to open in the second quarter of 2016.
"We were admittedly intrigued by the Hotel RL brand and its design elements which we felt could help distinguish our property in a large market," said John Andrews of Pandey Hotel Corporation, parent company to the owner of the property Pandey Hotel St. Louis, LLC. "After visiting Hotel RL Baltimore, we are inspired. We're investing in the guest rooms and all of the public spaces, including adding the Living Stage, the Steps and espresso coffee service in our lobby. The Hotel RL concept is imaginative, yet practical, and we know our guests in St. Louiswill enjoy it."
Adjacent to the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and located at 9600 Natural Bridge Road, the future Hotel RL St. Louis Airport has 197 guest room and nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel has a lounge, indoor heated pool, fitness center, business center, and complimentary Wi-Fi and airport shuttle service.
"This particular property is located in one of the top 20 MSAs and serves as a nice extension to our recent Hotel RL opening in Baltimore," said Senior Vice President and Chief Franchise Officer Brian Quinn. "The Hotel RL brand has generated quite a bit of industry interest among hotel owners in the months since we launched in Baltimore, creating a healthy pipeline."
Hotel RL debuted in August with the opening of Hotel RL Baltimore Inner Harbor. Also in August, the company announced it will enter into a joint venture to acquire a future Hotel RL Washington D.C., which is expected to execute within the next few weeks. Three more hotel conversions are planned for the first half of 2016 following substantial capital improvements in company operated properties in Olympia, Salt Lake City and Spokane.
About RLH Corporation
RLH Corporation is an innovative hotel company focused on the franchising of upscale, midscale and economy hotels. The company maximizes return on invested capital for hotel owners across North America through relevant brands, industry-leading technology and forward-thinking services. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.rlhco.com.
