Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 13, 1990 TAG: 9006120150
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PETER MATHEWS NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The motel's opening is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. It is the first major new lodging in the Blacksburg area in 15 years, and its location in the U.S. 460 corridor just south of town made it something of a political football.
The Comfort Inn is a "luxury-budget" motel, meaning its 80 rooms are designed to be similar to, but less costly than, those in more expensive motels. It doesn't contain such amenities as restaurants and lounges, most of which aren't self-supporting, said Bill Clegg, its general manager.
The inn is targeting business travelers, families visiting Virginia Tech and overflow from Interstate 81 motels, Clegg said. He defined a typical business customer as one who is on a tight expense account or who is paying his own way.
Roughly 15 to 25 people will work at the inn, Clegg said. Most of them already have been hired.
The motel is the first lodging venture of Hometown Lodging Inc. Herb Alcorn, a Blacksburg developer, is president and owner and his son, Ray, is vice president of development. Clegg, who began in the industry in 1979 as a bellman at the Blacksburg Marriott, also is vice president of operations.
The owners had hoped to open in April, in time for graduations at Virginia Tech and Radford University, but cold weather in December prevented construction crews from pouring concrete.
That was not the only problem, Ray Alcorn said in an interview during construction. To get plans approved and services provided, Alcorn said he had to get approval from nine local governmental agencies.
Differing development standards of Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Montgomery County are the basis of a disagreement over how best to develop the 460 corridor. Shortly before Alcorn was interviewed, a group of corridor business and landowners asked Christiansburg to investigate a voluntary annexation.
Alcorn stuck it out, and the Comfort Inn has often been cited in meetings of local governments as symbolic of why development standards must be more cohesive.
Alcorn, a Blacksburg native, said he was more patient than others might have been. "If the projects had not been in our own back yard, we would have folded up our tents and went away," he said.
This week, workers are completing final detail work inside the building and on the sewer system.
Comfort Inns are part of Quality International, which also runs more than 1,350 Quality, Clarion and Sleep inns in 19 countries. It's the largest American-owned chain in the world, Clegg said.
Room prices range from about $40 to $56, although some weekends will be more expensive. Comfort Inn offers corporate, group, government and senior-citizen discounts.
by CNB