Columbia Hospitality Selected as Anchor Tenant for Fisherman's Harbor

Everett, Wash. – On June 13, the Port Commission authorized the CEO to sign a long-term lease with Waterplace LLC, a partnership with Columbia Hospitality, to construct the 142-room flagship Hotel Indigo in Fisherman’s Harbor at Waterfront Place.

Hotel Indigo is a flag under Intercontinental Hotel that is branded as a lifestyle boutique hotel with luxury accommodations. The hotel, which will be the first of its kind in Washington State, will feature a restaurant, lounge, indoor swimming pool, conference center, retail shops and business center. Some of the other flags operated by Intercontinental include the popular Kimpton, Even Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, and the entire suite of Holiday Inns.

"We are honored to collaborate with the Port of Everett on what will be a transformational project for the downtown Everett waterfront," said Columbia Hospitality founder and CEO, John Oppenheimer. "Our collective goal is to create an incredible destination for locals, tourists and businesses alike, stimulating economic growth for Snohomish County."

The selection of Columbia Hospitality, with investments by Omar and Christine Lee, came after a competitive solicitation for hotel operations in 2016. The Port received three well-known hotel submittals, but after extensive review and deliberation, decided the Hotel Indigo concept most accurately represents the global nature of the Port of Everett’s international seaport and compliments the adjacent Pacific Rim Plaza that is designed to honor the international trading relationships in Everett.

PORT COMMISSION REACTION

"Columbia Hospitality has a great track record of revitalizing waterfront communities through tourism. We are excited about working with Columbia as they bring their talent and record of success to our waterfront." – Port Commissioner Troy McClelland 
"The quality of this new waterfront hotel will create a year-round destination for residents and visitors to enjoy. I look forward to their grand opening, and the new business and tourism opportunities they bring to our waterfront." – Port Commissioner Tom Stiger

" The very feeling of a hotel room is important to me. When that feeling is right, I know that I'm welcomed. I'm sure that guests will have that same feeling at the Port ofEverett’s Hotel Indigo. This will be another gem for Everett. Who wouldn't want to stay here? – Port Commissioner Glen Bachman

"We are thrilled to be selected as the management partner for a new waterfront hotel and restaurant," said Yogi Hutsen, executive vice president of Columbia Hospitality. "The hotel will offer an incredible guest experience and one of the largest event spaces in the Everett, allowing the city to attract larger meetings, conferences and special events."

The deal includes Columbia Hospitality constructing and operating an 86,163 square feet hotel under a 50-year land lease, with three 10-year options.

"The Port team received proposals from three well-known and qualified hoteloperators to serve as the anchor tenant for Fisherman’s Harbor," said Terrie Battuello,the Port’s Chief of Business Development. "Ultimately, we selected Columbia Hospitality because of their Hotel Indigo flag that prides their facilities on embracing the character and history of the communities that they operate in, and the Waterfront Place story is the heart and soul of this new waterfront community."

The Port’s Waterfront Place development embraces the history of the Everett waterfront and is integrated its story of early tribal communities, commercial boat building, commercial fishing, wood products production, international trade and the railroad into all aspects of its development, Battuello said.

The hotel is scheduled to start construction in January 2018, and will be designed in a way to maximize the Port’s infrastructure features and pedestrian patterns, with lobbies to activate streets and a lively and attractive public realm. The hotel is dovetailing its opening with the SeaLevel Properties, a subsidiary of American Classic Homes, residential development that is slated to open in mid-2019.

For more information, contact Lisa Lefeber, Chief of Policy and Communication, at lisam@portofeverett.com or by phone at 425.388.0617.

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BACKGROUND

Fisherman’s Harbor & Construction Status

Fisherman’s Harbor, the first phase of the 65-acre Waterfront Place Central mixed use development, is located on 12 acres adjacent to West Marine View Drive. This district will be a year-round hub of activity that includes approximately 264apartment homes, a 142-room hotel, and seven retail and waterfront restaurant spaces. The key public features of this area include: a continuous public trail, a dock walk for visitors to get down to touch the water, Seiner’s Wharf displaying commercial fishing vessels, and Pacific Rim Plaza with a splash feature, that will pay tribute to our international seaport.

In 2017, the Port began work on a $12 million public infrastructure to build the new Seiner Drive and 14th Street roadways, the Esplanade trail system in Fisherman’s Harbor, the Pacific Rim Plaza, new bulkhead, overwater platform, provide landscaping for all the public spaces and install a new pipeline in the City of Everett’s Puget Soundstormwater infrastructure within the site. This work is underway and is scheduled to be complete in 2018. Vertical construction for the housing units are expected to begin in the third quarter of
2017, and hotel construction is set to begin the first quarter of 2018. Both the hotel and housing have a target date of opening of mid-2019.

The construction activity in Fisherman’s Harbor will support 1,000 temporary construction jobs annually, 335 direct jobs, $7.6 million in annual payroll, and generate approximately $1 million in state and local taxes.
 
Columbia Hospitality. About Columbia Hospitality

Columbia Hospitality (Columbia) is a Seattle-based hospitality management and consulting company that was established in 1995 by founder and CEO John Oppenheimer. Columbia’s growing portfolio includes award-winning hotels, public and private golf facilities, conference centers, distinctive venues and residential properties. Columbia creates exceptional experiences for guests and team members while achieving phenomenal results for property owners. With over 20 years of proven success in management, Columbia has also consulted on over 100 hospitality projects worldwide, delivering a high level of customized service to partners and investors. For more information about Columbia and to view the entire portfolio, visit www.columbiahospitality.com. 

About the Waterfront Place Project

The Waterfront Place Central project will create a new community where people can live, work, shop, relax and find entertainment. Overall, it includes 15 new public gathering spaces, up to 660 housing units, waterfront hotel, up to 10 fine and casual dining restaurants, and 662,000 sq. ft. of commercial, retail and marine sales and services. At full build out, the project will generate approximately $500 million in private investment and support more than 2,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs and $8.6 million in new tax revenue for the city.

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