WestCoast changes to Red Lion, plans to double markets

The Daily Inter Lake

WestCoast Hospitality Corp., which owns three hotels and a shopping mall in Kalispell, said Tuesday it intends to double the number of markets it serves within five years.

The Spokane-based firm, which was previously known as Cavanaugh's Hospitality Corp., also announced plans to change its name to Red Lion Hotels Corp.

Its stock market ticker symbol will change from WEH to RLH beginning Sept. 23.

"Changing our corporate name and ticker symbol are visible signs of our commitment to maximize Red Lion's growth potential," WestCoast chairman Don Barbieri said in a press release.

WestCoast currently owns the WestCoast Kalispell Center Hotel, WestCoast Outlaw Hotel and Red Lion Inn Kalispell, as well as the Kalispell Center Mall.

However, the company recently sold a 50-percent interest in the mall and mall hotel to GVD Commercial Properties.

In July, it announced that a buyer had been found for the Red Lion Inn.

The Outlaw Hotel is for sale as well.

On Tuesday, WestCoast indicated that it plans to have Red Lion hotels in 100 "primary and secondary" markets, including several large metropolitan areas throughout the West.

Red Lion hotels are currently located in about 50 markets.

Since acquiring Red Lion from Hilton Hotel Corp. in 2001, WestCoast has focused on revitalizing the brand.

It's currently investing more than $40 million in upgrading the hotels, a move that WestCoast CEO Art Coffey describes as "the most significant capital improvement program in our corporate history."