Public-private hotel deals don't run on a private equity playbook. Cities use them to create demand and pull outside dollars into the market.

Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED joins me, and we talk with Walter Peseski, Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Garfield Public/Private, about how these projects get financed and why brands matter.

🏛️ Why cities build headquarters hotels and convention-adjacent product
🏨 Why bondholders and ratings agencies push projects toward branded hotels
📈 Abilene example: a DoubleTree plus a demand curveball from the Stargate data center
⏳ The real friction: public timelines, extra stakeholders, and council calendars

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They flipped the first Sonesta hotel in a couple of hours. That's what a real partnership looks like when the operator needs speed and the vendor shows up.

During AAHOACON in Philadelphia, I talked with Patty Jefferson from Visual Matrix and Chris Trick from Sonesta about how they built the relationship, scaled it, and kept it practical for hotel teams.

🤝 They started with trust, then proved execution fast with that first flip
🏨 The rollout now covers 120+ installs across multiple Sonesta brands
🖥️ They cut friction at the desk: move from two screens to one, so staff works faster
🎯 They keep the partnership grounded in outcomes: recognize guests faster and grow loyalty enrollment

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Two hotels on one piece of land, two separate buildings, two separate lobbies—and the demand mix flips in a way you wouldn't expect.

During AAHOACON 2026, No Vacancy is the official podcast, and I caught up with Hanan Anand, a Red Roof owner, on the show floor to talk about his dual-property setup in Cortland, New York, and what actually drives the business.

🏨 Hanan runs Hometowne Studios and Conference Center plus a Red Roof Inn side-by-side in Cortland
🔧 He converted Hometowne Studios via a full gut renovation, then opened a banquet hall about a week ago
🏟️ Sports tourism drives the market, with teams and families using the meeting space
🔄 The mix flips: Red Roof skews more extended stay, while Hometowne Studios skews more transient because of amenities like the pool, gym, and meeting space
🛣️ Location adds demand: right off I-81, between Syracuse and Binghamton, plus business travelers and traveling nurses
🤝 He says Red Roof support feels hands-on—procurement, design/construction, development—people pick up the phone and know you

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