Sept. 02–Business travelers, vacationers and even city residents have a new sanctuary on the southeast side of Eau Claire.
Holiday Inn Eau Claire South, 4751 Owens Ayres Court, recently opened for business. The 90,000-square-foot hotel is connected to a new Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse.
The lodging component of the $13 million-plus project features 130 rooms, 80 of which can be connected. Although it does not have direct highway access, it’s located near the intersection of Interstate 94 and U.S. 53. The new structure is easily visable from the interstate, promoting its services to the 70,000 cars that pass each day.
“Visibility trumps access every time when it comes to lodging,” said Thomas Larson, president of Larson Cos., which manages the property. The ownership group includes Richard Larson, Tim Pabich, Tim Olson and Tom Toy.
“We gave a great deal of attention to detail on the exterior of this building.”
And the interior. Soaring ceilings cap the lobby area, which has chairs and couches featuring deep seats for added comfort. Just a few steps away, the restaurant’s bar area emits a blue glow and soothing soundtrack marked by songs from members of the Rat Pack such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
There are a few dozen closed-circuit cameras on the property, which is a relatively rare amenity in the Eau Claire market. Activity is recorded and monitored through high-tech screens in the hotel’s administrative offices.
“We want this to be a property the community could take a lot of pride in,” Larson said.
The silence in the building is remarkable considering its proximity to the I-94/U.S. 53 interchange. Ownership hired an acoustical engineering firm to consult on the project and many of its suggestions were incorporated into final plans. Special glass protects customers from the outside noise, while flat-screen televisions are not mounted on the walls for fear of disturbing neighboring residents. Studies show that noise levels are a key factor in guests deciding whether they’ll return to a hotel, Larson said.
Royal Construction was the general contractor for the project, which is the first new, branded full-service hotel in Eau Claire in more than 30 years. Larson Cos. also has had success with a relatively new Lake Hallie Holiday Inn. Another Larson Cos. property in Eau Claire at 2703 Craig Road recently transitioned from a Holiday Inn to the Clarion Hotel Campus Area.
The new Holiday Inn is a “business hotel as far as amenities are concerned,” Larson said.
Among those amenities are ergonomic work stations, high-speed Internet access and more than 3,500 square feet of meeting space. A fitness room, which Larson said is a priority among business travelers, boasts expansive windows. A large deck area in the indoor pool area can accommodate light lunches and breakout programs.
“Eau Claire is a strong corporate/business traveler market,” said Linda John, executive director of Visit Eau Claire. “We are a regional center for commerce, health care, education and professional services. Additionally, there is a strong manufacturing presence. All of these factors create a healthy base of business travelers.”
The rooms are well-appointed as well. The hotel required 18 tons of linen, towels and related materials.
The hotel also will benefit from Holiday Inn’s Priority Club members, who have a median family income of about $135,000, Larson said. “The guests in this hotel are affluent,” he said.
Rich history
Larson Cos. has business interests in Des Moines, Iowa, where Larson first experienced Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. The Eau Claire location is the eighth for the Des Moines-based chain and first to be franchised.
Johnny’s aims for the ambiance achieved by supper clubs in the 1940s and 1950s with an “air of mystique and privacy,” according to company literature.
“It integrates well with the Holiday Inn customer in this market,” Larson said.
Shawn Wamsley, who has credentials through the Culinary Institute of America, is lead culinary maestro for the restaurant. Cooks at Johnny’s locations are culinary maestros, and bartenders are bootleggers. The latter celebrates the brand’s ties to the prohibition era when it first operated under different owners than it has currently.
Servers use handheld wirelesss technology to provide faster and more accurate service. The dining area has an open area that can accommodate groups of different sizes, and high-backed booths for those seeking privacy. Drapery adds to the aesthetic and ability to alter the layout. It also has outdoor seating.
Menu items at Johnny’s include the appetizer lobster mac and cheese, entree drunken steak and shrimp frangelico salad. The restaurant and hotel have different entrances, as Larson said it’s “important to have separate indentities.”
Bob McCoy, president and CEO of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, said the development is a welcome addition and adds to a number of other projects going on in Eau Claire and the surrounding area.
“We’ve been very fotunate to far exceed $100 million every year in new construction,” he said. “We’re having nice, steady growth.”
Sales to the new development date have taken off since a reception was held Aug. 15, Larson said.
“We opened with a significant amount of business on the books,” he said. “Booking activity has been tremendous.”
John said a conservative estimate for the development’s economic impact is around $13 million annually in direct visitor spending.
“This does not factor in the indirect and induced spending that will result from the ripple effect of these dollars into the community and the new jobs created,” John said.
“This property is a true gem for Eau Claire, and Visit Eau Claire has already had the pleasure of starting to show it off to interested group clients.”
The goal, Larson said, is to provide an “upscale lodging option in the region for years to come.”
Marlaire can be reached at 715-833-9215, 800-236-7077 or liam.marlaire@ecpc.com.
