Monthly Archives: April 2017

By TOM PINNEY Staff writer Maryville Daily Forum   The process of opening a new hotel at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park is mostly complete. Tuesday morning, surrounded by various members of the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce, city officials, and other community members, Boulders Inn and Suites general manager Sharlet Dumke cut the ceremonial ribbon to announce the completion and opening of the 40-room hotel. The hotel has been open for a couple of weeks, according to Dumke, and has reached full capacity each weekend it’s been open. “There’s been lots of events to keep us filled up on the weekends,” Dumke said. “This weekend, for instance, we have the track meet, and we were able to book the officials and one of the teams. “There’s lots going on around here, like the extreme cowboy competition at Mozingo last weekend, so we’re not really hurting for business. During the week we aren’t filling up, but over the weekend we’re full.” This is Dumke’s first foray into hotel management, but it’s not a new area for her. “I needed a change, I was in catering since 1999 and I needed to do something new,” Dumke said. “I wanted to stay in hospitality, and I had done internships at places like Tan-Tar-A, so I felt this would be a good transition for me. “It’s familiar enough that I didn’t need to do too much to come into the hotel business. I’m still planning events, working with brides and other event planners, but instead of planning the food, I’m planning the lodging.” Dumke said there were still things in the hotel being worked on and finished up, and that there are three rooms she can’t rent out yet because of minor issues, but she commended the people working on the hotel for their ability to “get stuff done.” The ribbon cutting was attended by a large amount of people, ranging from Chamber members to community legends, and included representatives from Boulders’ corporate team. Chamber executive director Lily White said it was the biggest ribbon cutting in her tenure as director. “We had so many people here that we couldn’t go around and introduce everyone because it would’ve taken too much time,” White said. “It’s exciting to see that the community supports the hotel so much and wants to see it succeed. “It’s also great to see the amount of business the hotel is receiving. Usually it would take awhile to start talking about expansion, but we’re already discussing expanding the hotel.” Maryville mayor Jason McDowell added that the fact Boulders is frequently full speaks to the quality of the hotel chain and the value Maryville has as a destination. “There’s lots of things going on in Maryville,” McDowell said. “We hope that we can attract even more people to come up here.”

Maryville, Mo. — A ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the Boulders Inn & Suites hotel at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park will take place at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4. The newly completed lodge, developed by Iowa-based Boulders and a group of local investors, is located at 2 Fall Drive at the entrance to the Watson 9 and Sechrest 18 golf courses. Embracing 40 units with a mix of king- or queen-sized beds, single rooms and suites, the hotel offers two handicap-compliant rooms on the ground floor and has a maximum occupancy of about 146 guests. Other features embrace a large breakfast area equipped with café tables and a sofa and easy chairs arranged in front of a large, stone-faced fireplace. Besides a complimentary hot breakfast, the hotel will offer patrons a pantry market selling snacks and convenience items, a fitness center with aerobic machines and free weights, Simmons pillow top mattresses, in-room 43-inch flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi access and a business center. The lodge is to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotel is similar to other Boulders facilities in the Iowa communities of Denison, Lake View, Atlantic, Okoboji, Polk City, Newton, Fort Madison, Clarion, Holstein and Monticello. It is the first hotel the company, which opened its original lodge in Denison in 2008, has built in Missouri. “Opening of the Boulders Inn & Suites at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park has marked the successful completion of a five-year economic development effort to attract private lodging to the park,” said Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel. “The hotel complements all our park has to offer in creating a unique destination.” Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland, who serves as the city-owned park’s chief administrator, added that the Boulders brand “aligns perfectly with the vision of the Mozingo master plan and the public conference center under construction.” The center, financed through a combination of tax dollars and park user fees, will also serve as a clubhouse for the park’s two golf courses. It is scheduled for completion late this year. For more information, go to www.bouldersinnandsuites.com or www.mozingolake.com.