As the General Manager of what is currently the third-largest property in the city at 583 rooms, we wanted to seek his thoughts on a wide range of industry issues, including the Marriott-Starwood merger and the double digit increase in room supply in Minneapolis.

Part I

Q: Now that the Marriott-Starwood merger is complete, the combined entity represents the largest presence of any brand in the Minneapolis market. With 30 combined brands within the new Marriott, many of them represented in our market, do you anticipate any issues with product differentiation?

A: We see diversity of brands as a way to continue tailoring the hotel experience to our guests, so no matter what they are looking for when they travel, we have an option that will suit their needs.

Q: I've heard Marriott president & CEO Arne Sorensen speak of the very complementary nature of the merger, with Marriott having great operational prowess and Starwood having strong marketing and branding. How do you think the new Marriott will benefit from this combination of assets?

A: Guests are able to choose from the hotel industry’s most diverse portfolio of brands with the largest luxury portfolio in the industry. Marriott now has an expanded portfolio of 30 brands, representing more than 6,000 properties in over 122 countries. Frequent travelers who are members of Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest, are able to link their accounts and unlock the benefits of each program, such as status match, points transfer, and redemption.

Q: As the largest property of the combined brand in the market, what additional opportunities or challenges does that present for you?

A: I certainly see the opportunity. With our combined brands and our strength, we have already begun to experience a unique synergy, sharing the best from both companies, which will create a better guest experience and operating model. This will increase our loyalty not only from our guests, but our diverse ownership groups as well.

Part II

Q: Following the Marriott-Starwood merger, are there any plans in the Minneapolis market to reposition the combined entity?

A: You may have already seen the combined brand advertising on our local television channels. As we continue to evolve, I can see an opportunity to position ourselves differently, more collectively. As our platforms merge, the move between all of the brands that we have to offer will be much more seamless. From a culture perspective, we have a business council with more than 50 of our hotels represented in the Minneapolis market. The council allows us to collaborate, pool resources, provide a channel for communication, and an opportunity to develop our associates. We are much better together.

Q: What are your thoughts on staying competitive in a fast-growing Minneapolis market, with its recent major expansion of hotel capacity?

A: With the increase in hotel rooms available in Downtown Minneapolis, the market has definitely become more competitive! Our guests are looking for an experience and value in their stay. It is important to know who you are and the unique attributes that you can provide to the guest. It is equally important to be able to communicate those attributes. It is truly about differentiation. The expectations of our guests are continually changing. The ability to gauge these expectations and adapt quickly will ensure a hotel’s future success.

As the General Manager of what is currently the third-largest property in the city at 583 rooms, we wanted to seek his thoughts on a wide range of industry issues, including the Marriott-Starwood merger and the double digit increase in room supply in Minneapolis.

Part I

Q: Now that the Marriott-Starwood merger is complete, the combined entity represents the largest presence of any brand in the Minneapolis market. With 30 combined brands within the new Marriott, many of them represented in our market, do you anticipate any issues with product differentiation?

A: We see diversity of brands as a way to continue tailoring the hotel experience to our guests, so no matter what they are looking for when they travel, we have an option that will suit their needs.

Q: I've heard Marriott president & CEO Arne Sorensen speak of the very complementary nature of the merger, with Marriott having great operational prowess and Starwood having strong marketing and branding. How do you think the new Marriott will benefit from this combination of assets?

A: Guests are able to choose from the hotel industry’s most diverse portfolio of brands with the largest luxury portfolio in the industry. Marriott now has an expanded portfolio of 30 brands, representing more than 6,000 properties in over 122 countries. Frequent travelers who are members of Marriott Rewards – which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – and Starwood Preferred Guest, are able to link their accounts and unlock the benefits of each program, such as status match, points transfer, and redemption.

Q: As the largest property of the combined brand in the market, what additional opportunities or challenges does that present for you?

A: I certainly see the opportunity. With our combined brands and our strength, we have already begun to experience a unique synergy, sharing the best from both companies, which will create a better guest experience and operating model. This will increase our loyalty not only from our guests, but our diverse ownership groups as well.

Part II

Q: Following the Marriott-Starwood merger, are there any plans in the Minneapolis market to reposition the combined entity?

A: You may have already seen the combined brand advertising on our local television channels. As we continue to evolve, I can see an opportunity to position ourselves differently, more collectively. As our platforms merge, the move between all of the brands that we have to offer will be much more seamless. From a culture perspective, we have a business council with more than 50 of our hotels represented in the Minneapolis market. The council allows us to collaborate, pool resources, provide a channel for communication, and an opportunity to develop our associates. We are much better together.

Q: What are your thoughts on staying competitive in a fast-growing Minneapolis market, with its recent major expansion of hotel capacity?

A: With the increase in hotel rooms available in Downtown Minneapolis, the market has definitely become more competitive! Our guests are looking for an experience and value in their stay. It is important to know who you are and the unique attributes that you can provide to the guest. It is equally important to be able to communicate those attributes. It is truly about differentiation. The expectations of our guests are continually changing. The ability to gauge these expectations and adapt quickly will ensure a hotel’s future success.