Case Study of the Week: Best Brand for Mixed-use Space

Sep 5, 2022

Hospitality

You are to assume the role of director of brand management guest relations for Weller International, a hospitality company that manages and franchises several brands of hotel properties. The senior vice president has asked you to determine which of the Weller International brands should be used in a new mixed-use project space and which services the brand should provide guests.

In a suburb of a capitol city with over 450,000 people, a mixed-use project is being developed. The project, called City Point, will offer over 80-acres of space to be used for retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, townhomes, office space and green space. City Point hopes to be a destination for both locals and travelers. The space will be the first of its kind in the area.

The retail and restaurant spaces have been leased by mid-price to upscale companies. The restaurants range from a locally-owned, organic ice-cream shop to a four-star, full-service restaurant. A small art gallery, ceramics studio and theater venue give entertainment options to guests, as does the green space perfect for outdoor concerts and picnic settings.

Weller International has purchased the property leading into City Point to build the only lodging facility within five miles. Although there are other lots available surrounding City Point, Weller will have the only hotel in the mixed-use project. The senior vice president is unsure which of the many Weller brands to pick for the City Point location. The senior vice president has narrowed it down to two Weller brands and has asked your team to choose which would be the best fit for the City Point location.

  • Option 1: St. Augustine, – Weller's luxury brand of hotels. St. Augustine offers an exceptional level of comfort, including turn-down service, top quality linens, butler service and concierge services. Guest rooms are priced starting at $399/night.
  • Option 2: Hotel Weller – Weller's classic brand that offers traditional hotel services. Guest rooms are priced starting at $189/night.

The senior vice president wants you to choose a Weller brand that fits best with City Point and to suggest services and amenities the property should offer to guests.

Questions?

Randi Bibiano
Competitive Events Specialist
randi@deca.org

Randi Bibiano is DECA's competitive events specialist. In this role, she conceptualizes and authors role-play scenarios for the collegiate and high school division’s competitive events programs. She also manages DECA's online competitive events and serves as a liaison to volunteer efforts at DECA's educational conferences.

Discussion Questions

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Classroom Connection

Career CLuster:

Hospitality and Tourism

Instructional Area(s):

Product/Service Management

Performance Indicators:

Explain the concept of product in the hospitality and tourism industry
Describe services offered by the hospitality and tourism industry
Explain the nature of corporate branding
Explain factors that motivate people to choose a hospitality and tourism site