I have either a great opportunity or a terrible threat coming my way. I see it as an opportunity, and I want to get ideas from you to see how you’d take advantage of this situation.
Quick background set up: We’re located in a 70,000 person city and in the main part of the historic district downtown. Lacking in downtown for over a decade is any hotel. We do have a couple bed and breakfasts though. The city has been exploring the idea of putting a convention center and hotel in the downtown. Not huge, around 200 rooms and 14,000 sq ft meeting/convention space. The studies have been conducted, recommendations made and the project was awarded to the local Marriott franchise.
Here’s where I come in: The spot they chose for this project is across the street from Cowork Frederick.
I had a brief meeting with the Marriott owner, explained what Cowork Frederick is, and welcomed him to the neighborhood with hopes that our businesses will compliment each other.
My question to you is: what ideas do you have for creating a win-win relationship with my new neighbors? I’m exploring the somewhat obvious ideas of day passes, perhaps at a discount, or rental of our meeting spaces. I think I’m too close to the situation, so I’d like to know what you’d do or if any of you had similar experiences?
I would amp up your meeting rooms - hotels are horrible at that.
I would see how to enlist Marriott to provide catering…to your biz events, meeting room bookings, etc.
I would see how if you ever have sizable events, that people can then stay at the Marriott…which means you establish a corporate account there and entire your users to book there with your corporate discount.
I’d even see if you can manage their lobby or other common areas with your wifi or other biz amenities.
In short, I think the Marriott would be a great complement - not a threat. JEROME CHANG
WEST: Santa Monica
1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401
ph: (310) 526-2255
CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036
ph: (323) 330-9505
EAST: Downtown
529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013
ph: (213) 550-2235
I would work with the hotel to try to retain participants before/after their conventions (more nights for the hotel, more transient members for the coworking space). I’d offer organizers of conventions to introduce the town and local community in Frederick and direct participants to Cowork Frederik just across the street to learn more. I’d make Frederick the easiest interface for visitors staying at the Mariott to get in touch with local professionals, businesses, etc. (would involve cityhall if they show interest?).
In those deals, Cowork Frederick are those most knowledgeable about the local market / opportunities / conditions.
By the way, I read this post because we have this sort of similar “great opportunity or a terrible threat” thing over here in Tbilisi, Georgia (the country). A large group is renovating a factory not far from us to create a budget hotel/hostel (400 beds). The project includes shops, cafés, art galleries & workshops, etc. and a 300 square meters coworking space. We could bid to set-up & run that space (assuming we can fund this) or see it opened by someone else (… knowing that nobody has yet demonstrated the viability of coworking in this country - we’re first to try).
Le mercredi 4 février 2015 00:10:28 UTC+4, Glen Ferguson a écrit :
I have either a great opportunity or a terrible threat coming my way. I see it as an opportunity, and I want to get ideas from you to see how you’d take advantage of this situation.
Quick background set up: We’re located in a 70,000 person city and in the main part of the historic district downtown. Lacking in downtown for over a decade is any hotel. We do have a couple bed and breakfasts though. The city has been exploring the idea of putting a convention center and hotel in the downtown. Not huge, around 200 rooms and 14,000 sq ft meeting/convention space. The studies have been conducted, recommendations made and the project was awarded to the local Marriott franchise.
Here’s where I come in: The spot they chose for this project is across the street from Cowork Frederick.
I had a brief meeting with the Marriott owner, explained what Cowork Frederick is, and welcomed him to the neighborhood with hopes that our businesses will compliment each other.
My question to you is: what ideas do you have for creating a win-win relationship with my new neighbors? I’m exploring the somewhat obvious ideas of day passes, perhaps at a discount, or rental of our meeting spaces. I think I’m too close to the situation, so I’d like to know what you’d do or if any of you had similar experiences?
You both mentioned a couple ideas I hadn’t thought of. I really appreciate the help.
This will be an interesting but slow project. Marriott has to integrate their new building with the existing historic building, formerly the local newspaper building, before that it was a trolley station. The concept drawings look promising, and it should bring more foot traffic to this side of town. I agree, it’s a good thing.
I recently found out the state didn’t include in this year’s budget the requested money for infrastructure improvements in the city - the road we’re on is considered a state road and their responsibility. As a result, the hotel project will not even break ground until January 2016 at the earliest. So, more time for me to make connections with the hotel owners.
On Mon, May 11, 2015 at 11:14 AM, Remi Boissonnas [email protected] wrote:
Hello Glen,
I would work with the hotel to try to retain participants before/after their conventions (more nights for the hotel, more transient members for the coworking space). I’d offer organizers of conventions to introduce the town and local community in Frederick and direct participants to Cowork Frederik just across the street to learn more. I’d make Frederick the easiest interface for visitors staying at the Mariott to get in touch with local professionals, businesses, etc. (would involve cityhall if they show interest?).
In those deals, Cowork Frederick are those most knowledgeable about the local market / opportunities / conditions.
By the way, I read this post because we have this sort of similar “great opportunity or a terrible threat” thing over here in Tbilisi, Georgia (the country). A large group is renovating a factory not far from us to create a budget hotel/hostel (400 beds). The project includes shops, cafés, art galleries & workshops, etc. and a 300 square meters coworking space. We could bid to set-up & run that space (assuming we can fund this) or see it opened by someone else (… knowing that nobody has yet demonstrated the viability of coworking in this country - we’re first to try).
Le mercredi 4 février 2015 00:10:28 UTC+4, Glen Ferguson a écrit :
I have either a great opportunity or a terrible threat coming my way. I see it as an opportunity, and I want to get ideas from you to see how you’d take advantage of this situation.
Quick background set up: We’re located in a 70,000 person city and in the main part of the historic district downtown. Lacking in downtown for over a decade is any hotel. We do have a couple bed and breakfasts though. The city has been exploring the idea of putting a convention center and hotel in the downtown. Not huge, around 200 rooms and 14,000 sq ft meeting/convention space. The studies have been conducted, recommendations made and the project was awarded to the local Marriott franchise.
Here’s where I come in: The spot they chose for this project is across the street from Cowork Frederick.
I had a brief meeting with the Marriott owner, explained what Cowork Frederick is, and welcomed him to the neighborhood with hopes that our businesses will compliment each other.
My question to you is: what ideas do you have for creating a win-win relationship with my new neighbors? I’m exploring the somewhat obvious ideas of day passes, perhaps at a discount, or rental of our meeting spaces. I think I’m too close to the situation, so I’d like to know what you’d do or if any of you had similar experiences?
