Home2 by Hilton owners shooting for Sept. 8 opening

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Work on the pool at the Home2 by Hilton at Snake River Landing. 

The Home2 by Hilton hotel at Snake River Landing is scheduled to open Sept. 8, according to Rusty Townsend, president and CEO of B&T Hospitality Management, the company that also owns Hilton Garden Inn.

Headwaters Construction, the contractor on the 91-room hotel, has met all its deadlines, he said. Work on the pool is being finished, said Larry Wolf, another B&T officer.

The pool is unique to the Home2 by Hilton chain in that the purification system is saline-based instead of chlorine-based. “It’s a much greener alternative,” Wolf said.

The four-story, 94,425-square-foot hotel is located at the corner of Snake River Parkway and Whitewater Drive. There is parking for 112 vehicles.

Townsend said B&T’s original plan was to build the hotel next door to Hilton Garden Inn, but as Snake River Landing began to take shape they opted for the location. Since his partner in B&T is Ball Ventures, Snake River Landing’s developer, it wasn’t hard to change.

“We like it here with all the walking and all the restaurants,” Townsend said.

He said he is very optimistic about the business prospects for Idaho Falls hotels. Tour buses on their way to Yellowstone National Park have been pulling in to the Hilton Garden Inn every night. "We have had the best three consecutive months we've ever had," he said.

Launched in 2009, Home2 is the first new brand introduced by Hilton Worldwide in 20 years. The focus is for customers who are planning for an extended stay, so the suites include kitchenettes  and flexible working space between the living room and bedroom areas. The patio area adjacent to the pool features three gas barbecue grills. If you burn your steak, Stockman’s restaurant is next door.

Townsend said they are planning on a ribbon cutting and grand opening in October.

The kitchenette in one of the rooms.

Business basics workshop set Aug. 27

Irene Gonzalez

The Small Business Development Center and SCORE are sponsoring a free Business Basics Workshop Aug. 27, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Idaho Innovation Center, 2300 North Yellowstone Highway in Idaho Falls.

The workshop will feature a presentation by Irene Gonzalez of the Boise office of the Small Business Administration, who will talk about how to use your research to build your business plan and the importance of starting your business with a sturdy foundation.

Topics she covers include self-evaluation, available resources, choosing a legal structure, building a business plan, preparing for a lender, and marketing.

Anyone interested in attending needs to RSVP Gary Johnsen at gwjohnsen@gmail.com.

Warner Truck Centers building $8 million dealership south of Idaho Falls

 

Warner Truck Centers of Salt Lake City, is moving forward on an $8 million Freightliner Truck dealership in Bonneville County, on 12.73 acres of land near Interstate 15 Exit 113.
The plans, filed in late July, call for a 55,106-square-foot truck sales and repair area, with a 10,000-square-foot mezzanine. It project is located at the corner of 65th South and Doug Andrus Drive. The contractor on the project is Zwick Construction of Midvale, Utah.

The company has been in operation since 1983. The Idaho Falls dealership will be its fifth. Its other Idaho dealership is in Jerome and another is planned for Caldwell. In Utah, the company is in Salt Lake, Salina and Hurricane. Overall, it employs close to 480 people.

As a certified Freightliner, Western Star, and Sterling dealership the company provides parts and service for both heavy and light duty vehicles, body and paint work and fleet management.

For more about the company, follow this link to a 2013 story that ran in the Salt Lake Tribune: Utah's Warner Truck Center keeps the big rigs moving.

Voigt Davis becomes affiliated with national real estate network

Voigt Davis, a longtime Idaho Falls real estate agency, has joined the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network. The company will remain under the leadership of owner John Tanner, broker Patricia Davis and partner Brian Thompson, who hope to benefit from the marketing resources the affiliation brings.

In a press release, Tanner was quoted as saying it was important to align the agency, which has been in the community nearly 30 years, with a national brand name. The Better Homes and Gardens network brings digital tools and strategies that Voigt Davis hasn’t had before. “We are certain that the newfound technology proficiency and overall support will bring us to the next level of success,” he said.
 
Headquartered in Madison, N.J., the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network has roughly 280 franchise agencies in 28 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, with 9,100 sales associates. Voigt Davis is the second franchisee in Idaho.

Vendors sought for 'Boo at the Zoo'

The festive lights last year at "Boo at the Zoo."

Summer will be with us another month, but the days are getting shorter, back to school sales are happening and the Tautphaus Park Zoological Society is once again seeking vendors to participate in “Boo at the Zoo,” Oct. 28, 29 & 30.

Now in its 15th year, “Boo at the Zoo” is a “merry, not scary,” family-friendly Halloween event that attracts more than 10,000 guests. One popular element is the trick-or-treat stations throughout the zoo, sponsored by local businesses and organizations.

The event also features more than 500,000 lights, dozens of inflatable decorations, nightly costume contests, crafts and games. Depending on sponsorship levels, vendor promotions include radio, website, social media and print. Vendors will also be listed in the zoo’s Animal Challenge Newsletter,  which reaches more than 1,300 members.

Vendor fees are $100 for businesses, $50 for non-profits. Booth space is limited, so haste is advised. All proceeds, after expenses, are donated to the Idaho Falls Zoo.

For more information about the event, visit the zoo online — Tauthphaus Park Zoo — or contact Laurie Gravatt at (208) 612-8421 or tpzs@cableone.net.