THE FINCH
HOTEL
CLIENT
A private investment group led by the Seattle based Columbia Hospitality. Founded in 1995 by John Oppenheimer, Columbia Hospitality operates a growing portfolio that includes award-winning hotels, resorts, public and private golf facilities, conference centers, distinctive venues, and residential properties.
CHALLENGE
Columbia Hospitality owns and manages a broad variety of properties along with several investor partners including The Lark in Bozeman, Montana. The Lark is a distinctively remodeled and updated mid-century hotel in downtown Bozeman, named for Montana’s official state bird. On the heels of the successful launch of The Lark, Columbia Hospitality and their group of investor partners wanted to find other communities and properties for a similar project.
Columbia Hospitality retained Metis to identify and acquire properties that fit the unique requirements for such a project.
PROCESS
Metis first reviewed hotel and motel properties that were actively marketed for sale and determined that nothing currently on the market fit the client’s criteria. Through the firm’s deep ties in the business and hospitality community, Metis identified multiple properties that better fit the investment objectives but that were not available for sale. Metis discretely contacted the owners of each to explore interest in selling. Ultimately the property previously known as the Red Lion Inn and Suites in Walla Walla, Washington was selected as the ideal target. The Red Lion was owned by BHG Hotels in Wilsonville, Oregon. Metis successfully negotiated the sale of the Walla Walla Red Lion to the investor group.
OUTCOME
Though terms of the deal are not disclosed, the investor group purchased 100% of the assets of the Walla Walla Red Lion Inn and Suites, taking ownership and possession of the property January 19, 2018. The group then began an extensive design, remodel, and rebranding of the property to create The Finch (named for Washington’s state bird), with a Grand Opening in October of 2019.