By Michael Somerby EBS STAFF
On June 21, Big Sky residents celebrated the grand opening of The
Wilson Hotel, a Marriott Residence Inn and Big Sky’s
first branded hotel, ushering in a new era of hospitality offerings in the
growing mountain community.
The party, with more than 300 people in attendance, was
complemented by free food, drinks and a musical performance by the soul, funk
and rock fusion band Ticket Sauce.
There was also a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially commemorate
the historic event.
The hotel, which is owned by Lone Mountain Land Company and will
be managed by Urgo Hotels and Resorts, is already operating with remarkable
success, according to General Manager Mandy Hotovy.
“We’re already starting to hit 90 percent occupancy,” she said.
“That’s pretty fantastic for how long we’ve been open.”
The grand opening marked a dream realized for many, including Bayard
Dominick, vice president of planning and
development for Lone Mountain Land Company.
“I oversaw the design and
construction of the project since the beginning,” Dominick told EBS. “We
started planning the hotel almost five years ago.”
Dominick is excited by the prospect
of attracting tourists that historically passed right by Big Sky on their way
to Yellowstone National Park from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
“We think the Marriott brand will
help capture a significant increase in Yellowstone Park visitors, and will draw
an entirely new set of visitors to Big Sky.”
Named after Wilson Peak and
President Woodrow Wilson, one of the most prominent in the Spanish Peaks range
that backdrops much of the town, the hotel boasts stylishly-designed community
spaces, such as the lobby, which will provide locals with a new place to gather
and unwind.
Doubling down on gestures of homage
to the region’s history, The Wilson’s exterior is made with brick, a
traditional building material in the area.
The hotel has already proved a
valuable community resource, and has been commissioned for events such as
Santosha Wellness Center’s 108 Sun Salutations as well as the Big Sky Chamber
of Commerce’s Black Diamond Awards Dinner and Members Meeting.
Hotovy is excited by the prospect of carving out a space for Big
Sky residents to nurture their sense of community, a public living room of
sorts where even more ways to expand upon the town’s success can be hatched.
“It’s a place to gather. It’s a place to socialize and network,
and it’s also one of those places that’s going to help build the relationships
in the community,” Hotovy said.
