Updated Inn

It took longer than had been expected. But a Portland hotel unveiled its new look Friday.

Holiday Inn Express held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate renovations that were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic but are finally substantially complete at the hotel on Portland’s west side.

Owner Scott Daniels expressed his excitement about the improvements. He said he built the hotel in 2008 in large part because a previous study indicated several needs, including a quality hotel, for the city to thrive.

“We’re dedicated again to the kids of the future,” said Daniels. “This is a model of helping build a cornerstone for the community. … That’s really why we did it.”

The work involved upgrades to all 73 rooms, with new carpet, paint and blinds as well as new 45-inch TVs. (The rooms previously had 32-inch TVs.) Bathrooms got all new countertops, tiling and mirrors. And all the furniture — Daniels described it as a more modern look — has replaced as well.

Previously, some rooms had refrigerators and microwaves. Now, those features are standard in all rooms. All beds are now either king- or queen-sized.

The exercise room was renovated with new flooring, mirrors and equipment — it is equipped with a treadmill, stationary bike and elliptical machine, each with a built-in TV monitor. The banquet area was updated and the pool was repainted.

Showing off the renovations on tours last week, Daniels pointed out that all of the flooring and furniture in the lobby area had been replaced. The same is true of the great room, which includes some furniture from Pennville Custom Cabinetry.

“We try to do at least a couple pieces that were done here locally,” Daniels said.

The biggest difference in the common areas — the lobby, great room and hallways — is an emphasis in being brighter. The walls are painted in whites and light grays. And some walls were removed in the great room area to allow more sun to shine through.

“What they did is they tried to open it wide open, allow more light in to give it a different feel,” he added. “There’s a very different feel to it.”

Daniels explained that his first franchise agreement with Intercontinental Hotels Group was for 10 years, after which he was required to reapply for a new lease and put together a property improvement plan for upgrades to the hotel.

He initially approached Portland City Council in July 2018 about a three-year tax abatement on $888,000 in real property as part of planned $1.5 million in improvements at Holiday Inn Express. Council approved the abatement the following month.

In December 2019, council approved an extension of the abatement because the project had run into some delays. It was able to get underway in early 2020, but then the coronavirus pandemic hit.

“March 2020, all work stopped,” said Daniels. “At that point, we were just trying to keep our doors open. There was no business.”

Though there was discussion about closing temporarily last June, Holiday Inn Express was able to keep its doors open. And, after a delay of more than half a year, construction was able to resume.

“They came back in October and started the project again,” Daniels said. “And we finished the project about a month ago, most of it. There’s still little tweaking here and there that we’re doing.”

A 1986 Jay County High School graduate, Daniels earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and then got dual master’s degrees in education and information science at Ball State University. He’s worked for AT&T since 2000, first in Illinois and now in Maryland where he manages the company’s accounts with Marriott and Hilton.

While he’s lived away from Portland for nearly 25 years, he emphasized his continued connection to the community — “I’ve got very deep roots here,” he said — and desire to help the city fulfill the “a place to grow” motto. He’s hopeful the renovated hotel — he has a new 15-year lease with Intercontinental Hotels Group — will help make that happen.

And he noted that just because the major renovation project is complete doesn’t mean changes at the hotel stop.

“We’re always working on something,” he said.