July 20–Digi-Key in Thief River Falls is getting a new neighbor.
GrandStay Hotel & Suites has broken ground near the electronic components distributor that accounts for more than 2,500 jobs in the Thief River Falls area.
The new lodging site is no coincidence according to Jeff Jasperson, property manager at JLJ Management, the hotel’s on-site management company.
He said the continued expansion of Digi-Key has brought the need for more lodging.
“We have a lot of corporate travelers staying in the area during the middle of the week,” Jasperson said. “You’ll find the town is full even on weekdays and it is hard to find some place to stay.”
Located along Minnesota Highway 32, the GrandStay location is less than a half-mile away from Digi-Key headquarters on Brooks Avenue.
Digi-Key President Mark Larson said the arrival of GrandStay is a welcome sign for a town in need of additional lodging, mentioning the desperate need for extended stay rooms.
“I think there is no question that the growth of jobs in the town has a direct relationship to these incoming amenities,” Larson said. “But that accelerated growth has caused housing and lodging to lag behind, and hopefully this will get us closer to where the town needs to be.”
GrandStay will have 55 rooms, 30 percent of which will be extended stay.
Jasperson said Sanford Health, Arctic Cat and other large Thief River Falls employers also add to the need for additional lodging.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the building of GrandStay is in direct correlation with the need for corporate housing, including those at Digi-Key,” he said.
A groundbreaking ceremony for GrandStay was held on June 10, and developers hope to open in early 2014.
Call Ashlock at (701) 780-1137; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1137; or send email to aashlock@gfherald.com.
