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Choice Hotels Boosts Diversity with New SOAR Contracts in New Mexico and Illinois – Image Credit Photo by
- Choice Hotels International announces two more contracts under its SOAR program, aiming to foster diversity in hotel ownership.
- The new contracts for WoodSpring Suites in New Mexico and Rodeway Inn in Illinois are among the 17 SOAR contracts signed this year.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) has unveiled two new contracts under its Supporting Ownership Access and Representation (SOAR) initiative, a program designed to promote and support hotel ownership among underrepresented entrepreneurs. The contracts include a WoodSpring Suites in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and a Rodeway Inn in Effingham, Illinois. These latest additions increase the number of SOAR contracts signed this year to 17.
In the past 15 years, Choice Hotels has averaged one SOAR contract per month, a figure that has doubled over the past five years. The program aims to increase diversity in the hotel industry and provide unparalleled support and training to underrepresented entrepreneurs.
The latest SOAR contracts involve veteran and Latino New Mexico and Illinois hotel owners. Walter Barela and Brain Resendez of Peak Hospitality, a hotel acquisition and asset management firm, have signed a contract to open a WoodSpring Suites in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The 82-room hotel will be constructed next year and aims to attract wellness-focused and adventure-seeking visitors.
Ben Rohlfing, Amanda Rohlfing, and Bob Schultz signed a conversion contract for the Rodeway Inn Effingham in Illinois. The 49-room Inn opened in October and offers affordable accommodation to visitors of local attractions such as Lake Sara and the Effingham Performance Center.
SOAR is part of Choice’s longstanding commitment to underrepresented entrepreneurs. Choice Hotels is the first hospitality company with a dedicated team focused on offering hotel ownership opportunities to these groups. Since its inception over two decades ago, Choice has awarded and provided financial assistance for 387 franchise agreements for veterans and underrepresented entrepreneurs through the SOAR program.
About Choice Hotels Choice Hotels International, Inc. is one of the world’s largest lodging franchisors, boasting over 7,500 hotels representing nearly 635,000 rooms across 45 countries and territories.
