Oasis Hotel becomes Ramada franchise

A local hotel is hanging a national chain's flag to attract more business travelers.

The Oasis Hotel and Convention Center has purchased a Ramada franchise for an undisclosed price, according to Oasis General Manager Kevin Klein.

The hotel changed its name to Ramada Oasis & Conference Center effective Dec. 31. It remains under local ownership by Robert Low, who also owns trucking company Prime Inc.

The typical cost to begin operating a Ramada franchise at an existing property is $897,777 for a 150-room facility, according to Christine Da Silva, director of media relations for Ramada parent company Wyndham Hotel Group. The Oasis has 170 rooms.

The Ramada affiliation gives Oasis a national reservation system and rewards program, both of which Klein said appeal to weekday business travelers.

Signage at the 2546 N. Glenstone Ave. hotel should change soon.

The public won't notice any other physical changes - aside from renovations to 117 rooms that should wrap up in March, Klein said.

Those upgrades were under way before the Oasis teamed up with Ramada; the hotel's other 53 rooms were remodeled in 2006.

"We're kind of a unique hotel - we like the retro look that we have, and we were looking for a franchise that would accept our look," Klein said.

"(Ramada) seeks out hotels that havea unique look, so it was a good fit," he added.

The Oasis property also comprises 31,000 square feet of meeting space and Fire & Ice Restaurant, which opened in August 2006 under the direction of kitchen manager Wing Yee Leong.

Ramada is part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of hotels, which includes Wyndham Hotels, Hawthorn Suites, Baymont Inn & Suites and Wingate by Wyndham. Springfield already has one Ramada hotel - the Ramada Limited - at 4445 W. Chestnut Expressway. The Lamplighter Inn North and Doubletree hotels, both on Glenstone Avenue, have operated as Ramadas in the past.

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