Tulalip hotel aims for top-tier customers, conventions

TULALIP — The Tulalip hotel aims to attract new tourists to Snohomish County, instead of luring away guests from other local inns.

That’s been the message of the hotel’s management, even before they opened the doors this summer.

After all, the hotel is consciously aimed at a high-end crowd willing to pay the highest room rates in the county.

“It’s certainly going to complement what’s already happening here and going to add a new layer to what we have to offer,” said Caldie Rogers, president of the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce.

Amy Spain, executive director of the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, said the top-tier property could help the county attract more conventions, which in turn could help other hotels and motels in the area. For example, the hotel will be official host of about 300 Skate America participants and officials when that pre-Olympics event comes to Everett this fall.

The hotel’s debut during the peak summer season was well-timed. In its first month or so, an average of more than 80 percent of the Tulalip hotel’s rooms were occupied, said Brett Magnan, the resort’s vice president.

“We’re got reservations now into ‘09 and beyond,” he added.

The hotel’s guest numbers seems to be better than the countywide hospitality business. During June, 72 percent of the rooms across the county were occupied, according to Smith Travel Research Inc.

Rosy predictions about the new hotel’s effect on the local tourism market contrast with worries that popped up when the Tulalip Tribes first announced plans to open a large hotel. Operators of existing inns wondered how all of the county’s rooms could ever fill, especially after past experiences.

A building boom in the late 1990s, followed by a decline in tourism in the early part of this decade, left many Snohomish County inns scrambling for business.

When the tide turned in 2005, however, local hotels began setting occupancy records even as they raised their room rates.

Last year, nearly three-fourths of the county’s rooms were occupied on average, one of the highest rates in the state of Washington. It also was a huge improvement on the 54 percent occupancy rate recorded countywide in 2003, despite the fact that the county had more hotel rooms to fill up last year.

That trend, and the Tulalip Resort Casino’s goal of attracting guests who previously might have stayed only in downtown Seattle on trips to this region, gives tourism officials hope that the new hotel expands the local tourism market, instead of just dividing up the existing business. And there is some evidence to suggest that’s happening.

Magnan said the hotel is aggressively marketing itself to convention groups and has received generally positive responses. The hotel also is attracting many guests from Canada every weekend.

Marco Baumann, the hotel’s general manager, added that the hotel has gotten more business than it expected from “walk-up” traffic — typically, guests who spot the hotel while driving down I-5.

Assuming the hotel succeeds, the Tulalips are ready. Magnan said preliminary plans exist for expanding the hotel.

“We’ve already done a lot of the infrastructure for a second tower in case we decide to do it,” he said.

Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

More in Herald Business Journal

A man walks by Pfizer headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer will spend about $43 billion to buy Seagen and broaden its reach into cancer treatments, the pharmaceutical giant said Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo / Mark Lennihan, File)
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to acquire Bothell-based Seagen

Pfizer announced Monday it plans to acquire Seagen in an all-cash deal for $43 billion.

Lacie Marsh-Carroll stirs wax before pouring candles in her garage at her home on March 17, 2018 in Lake Stevens. (Kevin Clark / The Daily Herald)
Women business owners in Snohomish, Island counties make their mark

In honor of Women’s History Month, we spotlight three local business owners.

x
Edmonds International Women’s Day takes place Saturday

The Edmonds gathering celebrates women and diversity with this year’s theme, “EmbraceEquity.”

Owner and CEO Lacie Carroll holds a “Warr;or” candle at the Malicious Women Candle Co workspace in Snohomish, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. The business is women run and owned. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Malicious Women Co: She turned Crock-Pot candles into a sassy venture

Lacie Marsh-Carroll is rekindling her Snohomish candle company with new designs and products.

Kelly Matthews, 36, left, Tonka, 6, center, and Nichole Matthews, 36, pose for a photo in their home in Lynnwood, Washington on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.  The twin sisters work as freelance comic book artists and illustrators. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Drawing interest: Twin sisters never gave up on making their mark

Lynnwood sisters, Kelly and Nichole Matthews, got their big break a decade ago and now draw comics full time.

Willow Mietus, 50, poses for a photo at her home in Coupeville, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Mietus bought a former Frito-Lay truck to sell her dyed yarn out of. She calls it "The Wool Wagon." (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Wool Wagon to hit the streets of Whidbey Island

A self-described “professional yarn temptress” from Coupeville is setting up shop in a modified truck.

IonQ will open a new quantum computing manufacturing and research center at 3755 Monte Villa Parkway in Bothell. (Photo courtesy of IonQ)
Quantum computing firm IonQ to open Bothell R&D center

IonQ says quantum computing systems are key to addressing climate change, energy and transportation.

Nathanael Engen, founder of Black Forest Mushrooms, sits in the lobby of Think Tank Cowork with his 9-year-old dog, Bruce Wayne, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in downtown Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Growing green mushrooms in downtown Everett

The founder of Black Forest Mushrooms plans to grow gourmet mushrooms locally, reducing their carbon footprint.

Barb Lamoureux, 78, poses for a photo at her office at 1904 Wetmore Ave in Everett, Washington on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Lamoureux, who founded Lamoureux Real Estate in 2004, is retiring after 33 years. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Lamoureux, ‘North Everett’s Real Estate Agent’ retires

A longtime supporter of Housing Hope, Lamoureux helped launch the Windermere Foundation Golf Tournament.

Bothell
AGC Biologics in Bothell to produce new diabetes treatment

The contract drug manufacturer paired with drug developer Provention Bio to bring the new therapy to market.

The Walmart Store on 11400 Highway 99 on March 21, 2023 in in Everett, Washington. The retail giant will close the store on April 21, 2023. (Janice Podsada / The Herald)
Walmart announces Everett store on Highway 99 will close on April 21

The Arkansas-based retail giant said the 20-year-old Walmart location was “underperforming financially.”

Everett Memorial Stadium and Funko Field on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Drive to build new AquaSox ballpark gets $7.4M boost from state

The proposed Senate capital budget contains critical seed money for the city-led project likely to get matched by the House.