Re: Embassy Suites
That's not at all what I am saying. Where are you getting that from what I said? I'm saying that in addition to the built-in demand from the surrounding area this property is ALSO grabbing area-nonspecific OKC-wide demand for that flag and for that reservation system. The same thing happened with the Skirvin. When it opened in 2007 it not only benefited from pent-up demand for downtown rooms, plus nostalgic interest in the building itself from within the community but ALSO from general Hilton customers who previously would have gone to other properties in the city. I regularly spoke (and continue to speak) with people who booked the Skirvin merely because it was a Hilton property and the closest to the center of the city. They were/are always pleasantly surprised that it is a historic hotel. That is, their booking had nothing to do with the property itself, only the flag and location were factors.
My point is that it should have been no surprise that the Embassy Suites was slammed with business from day one. I doubt it was a surprise to the management; they probably have had a hard time hiring locally (standard right now for the service industry) and probably explains why so much of the staff is from out of town.
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