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  • WINNER’S CHOICE! - FREE: 1) 1-hour photo shoot & 3 free photos, 2) Facebook marketing consultation, 3) branded Powerpoint template, 4) branded designed coupon, 5) business card size handout & 60 copies. Drop your card into Cynroc’s bling box when you check in, drawing will be during the meeting!

  • 8% Discount – Thrifty Car Rentals.  Contact Carla Ulschak (406) 259-0106

  • FREE Employee Group Tours – Western Heritage Center! Increase your knowledge of this great local attraction and learn about regional history.  Contact Lisa Olmsted  ([email protected] ) 256-6809


  • OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE CLOSE TO AIRPORT AND DOWNTOWN. The Rimrock
    Inn at 1203 North 27th
    Street in Billings is
    converting its hotel into
    professional office space
    combined with a new Rock
    Pile Restaurant.  A great location!  For information, please contact Jay Doucette
    at 406-670-6097.


RevPAR UP UP UP IN MAY!

Of note: These numbers reflect the change of RevPAR  from April to May.

  • Statewide RevPAR increased in May (54.79) from April (41.72) by 31.33%.
  • Billings’ RevPAR increased 16.8% from April (54.40) to May (63.54), and is still ahead of the state in May by 15.97%.

RevPAR – comparisons

  • 3.5% - percentage of increase in RevPAR, year to date, 2014 over 2013, in Billings, Montana
  • 0.3% - percentage of increase in RevPAR, May 2014 over May 2013, in Billings, Montana
  • May RevPar rates in Montana cities:
    • 63.54 – Billings (up from Apr 54.40)
    • 54.47 – Helena (up from Apr 52.30)
    • 46.66 – Great Falls (up from Apr 46.39)
    • 58.42 – Missoula (up from Apr 45.10)
    • 60.56 – Bozeman (up from Apr 44.78)

 

 

 

 

ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS AT JULY
MEMBERS' MEETING!

Attend and vote – elect new YCLA officers at the next meeting on July 16.

 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM HSMAI's ROC CONFERENCE

June 24, 2014

  • Hoteliers need to continue improving
    big data-gathering practices.
  • The OTA market is “boiling over,”
    said The Lexington’s Calvin Anderson. 
  • The U.S. needs to better target
    the Chinese traveler.

Click here for full story.

 

HOTEL WATCH IN BILLINGS!

The sun is out, and building is progressing fast! Here are photos taken within the last 2 days of properties under construction . There continue to be 8-11 new hotels rumored, planned, or in construction –1, Ledgestone completed and opened in March, and 5 more in serious construction at this time. Please check the YCLA website http://www.yellowstonecountylodgingassociation.com/hotelwatch.htmlfor updates between newsletters. And, as always … we will strive to keep you up to date via our research into the status of new hotels, being built or rumored, in the Billings/Yellowstone County area. Resources are Billings Gazette, Big Sky EDA, YCLA member properties, and Cynroc photography.: 

  • Homewood Suites –photo July 2, 2014
    • Status:  Siding nearly complete, curbs, road beds, signage. Probably moving well along inside! Missed original completion date of July 1, but summer opening looks possible.
    • General: a Hilton extended-stay hotel, 4-story, 110 rooms with full kitchens, hot breakfast and light dinners served with beer or wine Monday through Thursday.  Pool, hot tub, fitness room, sport court/billiards room, 2 outdoor patios. Erck Hotel group of Missoula.
    • Location: 3120 Ember Lane, off Zoo Drive and Interstate 90, between the Hampton Inn & Suites and The Big Horn Resort.
    • Completion: Opening date originally set July 1, 2014 at a cost of $13-14 million
    • Rates: Winter room rates will be approximately $130 and rise to $150 in summer.

  • TownePlace Suites –photo July 2, 2014
    • Status: Walls going up on first floor. Still a ways out, but lots of activity.
    • General: a Residence by Marriott, extended-stay hotel, 94 rooms, 4 stories
    • Location: 2480 Grant Road, behind Home Depot, directly across from the Billings Hilton Garden Inn
    • Completion: Originally estimated fall 2014 – might be an ambitious date
    • Rates: listed in all research as “mid-price”

  • Holiday Inn Express –photo July 2, 2014
    • Status: Not a lot of change on the outside from last month, but could be very busy on interior.
    • General: 89 rooms, $8.4 million, No specific info at this time. Sign shows 5-story hotel.
    • Location: 3431 Ember Lane, across from the Hampton Inn & Suites and the new Homewood Suites, in front of the Rib & Chop House on Ember Lane off Zoo Drive and Interstate 90.
    • Completion: sign states 2014
    • Rates: $131 per night (per website, other HIExpress in Billings)

  • LaQuinta –photo July 2, 2014
    • Status: Siding, signage, and outdoor finishing looks really good. Roads, curbs, and parking lot mostly finished. Still working on entry. Appears to look good for summer opening.
    • General: Four story, 85 rooms. Their “new urban design – stucco and stone. A Midwest Ventures Kelly Inn property
    • Location: Frontage Road next to Cracker Barrel Restaurant
    • Completion: No date known at this time, but progress is rapid.
    • Rates: No info at this time.

  • My Place Hotel –photo July 2, 2014
    • Status: Looks like the exterior is complete, signage up, big trees planted with some landscaping still to do, possibly some exterior lighting.
    • General: 64 rooms, identified on signage as “affordable extended stay”
    • Location: 4770 King Ave. E., between Burger King and Cabela’s
    • Completion:
    • Rates:

JULY 16 YCLA MEMBERS' MEETING

YCLA Meeting – July 16, 2014, 12:30pm at The Windmill Restaurant, cost for lunch will be $15.

NOTE: Among the meeting documents is a nomination form for new officers. Please fill it out and email to [email protected] prior to the meeting. Thank you.

 

EVENTS TO PLAN ON

MetraPark – Great events likely to bring out-of-town guests to Billings! 

  • Jurassic Quest – July 12-13
  • Tim McGraw in Concert – July 29
  • Montana Fair – Aug 8-16
  • Chris Young & Danielle Bradbery – Aug 8
  • Train w/Striking Matches – Aug 9
  • Pop Evil & Adelitas Way – Aug 10
  • Supercross – Aug 12
  • Yellowstone River Roundup PRCA Rodeo – Aug 14-16
  • Burn the Point Car Show – Aug 30
  • Five Finger Death Punch & Volbeat in Concert – Sept 17
  • Billings Market Association (Private Show) – Sept 19 – 21
  • Color Me Rad 5K – Aug 20
  • Living Proof Live with Beth Moore – Oct 24-25

WHAT VISIT BILLINGS IS DOING FOR US!

Lots of positive action from Alex and our Visit Billings team! Please click here to view booked and pending events – dates, room nights, and more.
Please click here for the full attendee packet.

Also, the full report can always be found on this page of the VisitBillings website http://www.visitbillings.com/tbid.php

 

 

   
   
 

 

General Area Information:
Billings Chamber of Commerce
815 South 27th Street Billings, MT 59101 (406) 245-4111