Belmonte’s Hospitality Ventures LLC Re-Launches The Key West Brand
Birmingham, AL. — November 7, 2011 — Hospitality Ventures LLC, hot on the heels of its recent successful launch of Centerstone Inns, Hotels, and Plazas, is proud to announce they have acquired the franchise rights of Key West Inns. Key West Inns is a regional brand with 22 locations that has been in business for 23 years and will be re-launched as a fun and uniquely themed leisure brand.
In May 2011, Hospitality Ventures LLC announced the launch of their new brand Centerstone Hotels. Key West Inns will be the second brand they add to their growing franchise company. Similarly to Centerstone, there will be Key West Inns, Key West Hotels, and Key West Resorts.
Hospitality Ventures CEO Steve Belmonte has partnered up with Laurence Benjamin of Benjamin Brothers Purchasing and Cary Benjamin of Braeside Design Group to design and furnish a fun and completely themed environment that will define the Key West brand. Whether it’s the rocking chairs in the lobby, the coconut ice buckets or the signature lime drink in the lobby, people will be able to experience the spirit of Key West at locations all over the nation. There will be 3 tiers of design to choose from that will enable hotel owners to completely theme their property from the exterior to interior, lobby to guestrooms depending on their budget. For example, a typical 80-room hotel can successfully theme with $50,000 to provide a fun and unique guest experience. If an owner decides to go all out, there will also be pricier packages available to them. Benjamin Brothers has a long history of design and FF&E and is a well-respected honorable company. Key West properties will also feature high speed Internet, in-room coffee makers, complimentary breakfast delivered to your room, as well as a fun themed gift for children to take home with them.
“I’m thrilled to be part of a brand that involves Steve Belmonte. He has a proven track record. I saw him when he took Ramada from 400 to over 1100 properties. And prior to that, I saw him start a management company with one hotel and grow to one of the top management companies in the nation. He has a knack of successfully growing whatever he touches and we are very excited to be a part of this Key West project”, said Laurence Benjamin.
Hospitality Ventures CEO Steve Belmonte believes there is a real market for the leisure brand and that theming will give Key West Inns a competitive edge.
“We are re-launching the brand as a unique, fun, themed leisure product that is applicable in a multitude of areas. It doesn’t have to be just the coastal properties, but frankly anywhere that enjoys a leisure vacation model, such as the Wisconsin Dells, Orlando or the dozens of vacation towns along Lake Michigan or for that matter any hotel owner that is seeking a competitive point of difference in the marketplace,” said Belmonte.
“I’m really excited about Key West because this was something initially created by my father back in 1989 and I’m looking forward to carrying on with his original vision,” said Neal Jackson, who will serve as President of the Key West brand as he does for Centerstone.
“We created Key West Inns back in 1989 as a economy lodging and always wanted to create a brand that was fun and unique and stood out from the competition. I have always been fascinated with the architecture and culture of South Florida. I’m so pleased that our original plan of a fun coastal themed hotel chain is now coming together with the new program that has been put together,” said founder Cory Jackson Sr.
The Key West brand will have the same franchise friendly model as Centerstone with short term agreements, low cost of entry and amongst the industries lowest fee structure, yet all the cutting edge reservation system and marketing support you would expect from a great brand. Key West Inns will be primarily for smaller limited service properties, Key West Hotels for larger full service facilities, and Key West Resorts will be reserved for true resort destination and facilities. This is going to be a fun brand with a laid back nautical Key West theme. From the signage to the exterior, lobby to the guestroom, the properties will carry the cool laidback theme through out. Key West has also received a completely new website designed and produced by their in-house Creative Media Director, Theo Pizza.
If launching Centerstone and Key West isn’t enough, Belmonte has indicated they are in negotiations to acquire yet a third major brand very well known in the industry.
About Hospitality Ventures LLC
Hospitality Ventures LLC is a hotel franchise company owned by CEO Steve Belmonte, President Neal Jackson and Vice President Cory Jackson Jr. In May 2011, Hospitality Ventures launched the Centerstone brand as a three-segment franchise designed to create a fair and cost effective model for the hospitality industry. In November 2011, Key West Inns will be re-launched under the Hospitality Ventures ownership umbrella as a fun and uniquely themed leisure brand. For more information on Hospitality Ventures LLC, contact Steve Belmonte at (407) 654-5540 or steve@hospitalityventuresllc.com. Visit Centerstone online at www.centerstonehotels.com, on Twitter at @Centerstonehtls, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Centerstonehotels. Visit Key West Inns online at www.staykeywesthotels.com, on Twitter at @StayKeyWest, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/staykeywest.
For more information, contact:
Kellie Pizza
Director of Public Relations
Key West Inns
Tel: (310) 880-7218
kellie@centerstonehotels.com
Or
Steve Belmonte
CEO/Owner
Key West Inns
Tel: (407) 654-5540
steve@hospitalityventuresllc.com
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