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Business

Revamping the Hilton

A Michigan-based real estate company recently purchased the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell with plans for an $8 million renovation

By Maggie Dresser
The Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell on Feb. 10, 2022. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

To add to its portfolio of rural-area hotels, Michigan-based Veridea Group purchased the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell earlier this month and the new owners announced they will begin top-to-bottom renovations in the 144-room hotel on U.S Highway 93.

With two Residence Inn’s in Bozeman and Helena and six hotels in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Veridea is expanding its integrated commercial real estate company, which specializes in smaller markets.

Before the pandemic, Veridea Group CEO Robert Mahaney had his eyes on hotel property in Kalispell, predicting its strong economic growth, and he says the Flathead’s market fits the company’s business model.

“We felt optimistic about Montana,” Mahaney said. “Our sweet spot is rural markets and small metro areas. We want to be part of those communities and we just like rural America and that’s where we want to be. Montana gives us geographic diversification.”

This summer, crews will begin $8 million interior and exterior renovations on the hotel, which will include new furnishings in all rooms, renovation of public areas, meeting rooms and the 700-person capacity Conference Center with technology upgrades and an exterior refresh with landscaping.

Mahaney also plans to reopen the bar, restaurant and casino, which will include a rebrand, a new menu and a new outdoor patio and a wedding venue.

Veridea thrives on a foundation of an “always new” philosophy, meaning renovations and repairs will be completed as soon as they are needed.

“If you go to one of our hotels that just opened, it should look like one that opened 20 years ago,” Mahaney said. “If there’s cracked tiles in a room, we fix them. We don’t wait and by doing that it makes it a lot easier for our staff to deliver the best service.”

As in-person meetings continue to return, Mahaney says there is significant opportunity for the Conference Center and he believes conferences will soon reflect pre-pandemic levels of uses of about three to five times per week.

In addition to a growing demand for businesses to congregate at the Hilton, tourism remains the main hotel demand driver in the Flathead Valley as rooms stay consistently booked through the summer months, like Mahaney’s other hotel properties on the Upper Peninsula.

“In rural markets like the Upper Peninsula and Montana, the recovery has been very strong due to the interest in traveling, vacationing and remote work,” Mahaney said. “We are very fortunate.”

Veridea operates all of its hotels without contracting out to a third party, and Mahaney plans to continue taking a hands-on approach at the Hilton in Kalispell.

“I think it starts with the community,” Mahaney said. “We think the Flathead Valley and Kalispell have a bright future and it’s the kind of community we like to be in. Kalispell has so many things going for it with a vibrant and growing economy and good people.”

In addition to hotels, Veridea also has projects that include multi-family dwelling units and industrial parks in Michigan.

The Hilton will remain open during renovations and the restaurant will reopen in the next few months.

“We’re really looking forward to being part of the community and contributing to Kalispell,” Mahaney said.

For more information, visit www.verideagroup.com.