Rodeway Inn
Encyclopedia
Rodeway Inn is a chain of economy-priced motel
s in the United States
and Canada
. Rodeway Inn is a brand of the Choice Hotels
group. There are over 150 locations in North America
. The hotels are often located in or near popular tourist destinations and are known for providing guests with attractive rooms at a great price. Guest amenities include free local calls, a free weekday newspaper, long distance access, and complimentary morning coffee.
, Arizona
in 1962, by Michael Robinson and his son-in-law, Joe Simmons, and was called Rodeway Inns of America. Robinson had been in the motel business since 1951, when he opened the Flamingo Motor Hotel in McAllen
, Texas
, and later joined Chicago
restaurateur Marion Isbell and other investors in organizing Phoenix-based Ramada Inns
in 1954, where he served as managing director until resigning in 1962 to organize Rodeway Inns.
Early Rodeway Inns typically featured colonial-style architecture somewhat similar to Ramada Inns of that era, but on a smaller scale as Rodeway Inn properties often had fewer rooms (less than 100) than Ramada, most of whose hotels were larger properties with 100 or more rooms and more amenities. The hotels of the long-defunct Hiway House
chain, also with Phoenix roots, had colonial architecture similar in style to the Rodeway Inns.
Rodeway was acquired by the Vantage Company of Dallas
, Texas
in 1971. Prudential Life Insurance
participated in a joint venture with Rodeway Inns to finance the company-owned inns. The idea of the chain was to offer independent operators the advantages of big-chain identity, much like that of the America's Best Value Inn chain today (also by Vantage). The company originally owned and operated its inns but focused only on franchising
after 1976. The brand was purchased by Ladbrokes
in 1985 and was sold to Ramada
in 1987. Rodeway Inn then became a part of the Choice Hotels
group in 1990, along with two other budget hotel brands, Friendship Inn and Econo Lodge
.
When this happened, the Friendship Inn chain was absorbed into Rodeway and Econo Lodge. (Motel in America 171-172).
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Rodeway Inn is a brand of the Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International is a hospitality holding corporation which is affiliated with several hotel brands and is based in Silver Spring, Maryland...
group. There are over 150 locations in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The hotels are often located in or near popular tourist destinations and are known for providing guests with attractive rooms at a great price. Guest amenities include free local calls, a free weekday newspaper, long distance access, and complimentary morning coffee.
History
The chain was organized in PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in 1962, by Michael Robinson and his son-in-law, Joe Simmons, and was called Rodeway Inns of America. Robinson had been in the motel business since 1951, when he opened the Flamingo Motor Hotel in McAllen
McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and later joined Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
restaurateur Marion Isbell and other investors in organizing Phoenix-based Ramada Inns
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
in 1954, where he served as managing director until resigning in 1962 to organize Rodeway Inns.
Early Rodeway Inns typically featured colonial-style architecture somewhat similar to Ramada Inns of that era, but on a smaller scale as Rodeway Inn properties often had fewer rooms (less than 100) than Ramada, most of whose hotels were larger properties with 100 or more rooms and more amenities. The hotels of the long-defunct Hiway House
Hiway House
Hiway House was a motor hotel chain founded in 1956 at Phoenix, Arizona, by the late Del Webb, a construction magnate who owned the New York Yankees baseball team and later created the Sun City retirement communities. A remnant of the old Hiway House chain is still in operation at Albuquerque, New...
chain, also with Phoenix roots, had colonial architecture similar in style to the Rodeway Inns.
Rodeway was acquired by the Vantage Company of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1971. Prudential Life Insurance
Prudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
participated in a joint venture with Rodeway Inns to finance the company-owned inns. The idea of the chain was to offer independent operators the advantages of big-chain identity, much like that of the America's Best Value Inn chain today (also by Vantage). The company originally owned and operated its inns but focused only on franchising
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
after 1976. The brand was purchased by Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes plc is a British based gambling company. It is based in Rayners Lane in Harrow, London owned by Bhavin Kakaiya. From 14 May 1999 to 23 February 2006, when it owned the Hilton hotel brand outside the United States, it was known as Hilton Group plc...
in 1985 and was sold to Ramada
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
in 1987. Rodeway Inn then became a part of the Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International is a hospitality holding corporation which is affiliated with several hotel brands and is based in Silver Spring, Maryland...
group in 1990, along with two other budget hotel brands, Friendship Inn and Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge is an economy motel chain based in the United States and Canada. Econo Lodge is the second largest brand in the Choice Hotels system. It is one of the best known brands in its category and aims to provide affordable rooms to budget travelers. Econo Lodge properties contain a minimum of...
.
When this happened, the Friendship Inn chain was absorbed into Rodeway and Econo Lodge. (Motel in America 171-172).