Ramada rebrands Holiday Inn as renovation begins

The former Holiday Inn, located at 1000 E. Sixth Street south of Interstate 80 in Reno, will complete a $1 million renovation within the next six months. And a new name: Ramada Reno Hotel and Casino. The 14-story hotel is a John Q. Hammons property.

Along with new signage and exterior paint, guest rooms will be outfitted with bed and bath upgrades.

Common areas and the cas-ino also will be renovated.

What won't change, says General Manager Teri Grandfield, is the clientele. "This hotel has been here for 30 years," she says.

Meetings and conventions comprise a part of that clientele. The Ramada can accommodate groups of up to 500 in its 8,500 square feet of event space, which includes a 2,790-square-foot Skyline Room on the top floor.

The nearby Reno Livestock Events Center continues to generate a steady flow of convention business for the hotel, which is within walking distance. And the property's ample parking acts as a draw, says Grandfield, because, "Horse groups love this hotel; they can park their horse trailers."

In addition to drawing a customer base from all manner of horse shows throughout the year, the hotel's sales staff books guests attending Livestock Events Center motocross, monster truck and World of Wrestling shows.

Beursken Enterprises of Redding, Calif. is handling the renovation work. That firm's owner, says Grandfield, was contractor on the original construction project; his son will supervise the remodel.

Despite the recession, times are good for remodeling work, says Grandfield, because hotel owner John Q. Hammons, having built 206 hotels during his 50-year career, has the funding reserves required to take advantage of downturns in the economy. "It's a lot easier to schedule construction, right now," she says.

"Everybody's calling back today."