Minden Holiday Inn opens

Despite some setbacks, the Holiday Inn Express in Minden has forged ahead and is open for business.

"Right now, in this economy, a new business opening in any city is a good thing," said owner Jaswinder Singh Dhami.

The three-story, 81-room hotel, which stands near the intersection of highways 395 and 88, has taken roughly eight months to complete. Construction manager Allyson Kellogg, of Metcalf Builders, said eight and a half months were allotted for construction.

Dhami and his father, Malkiat Singh Dhami, started their hotel business in Carson City in 1996. Besides the Minden location, they own Holiday Inns in Carson City, Reno and Winnemucca.

Although the Minden hotel has finished on time, the process hasn't been without complications.

Last summer, the Dhamis bought the parcel from developers of the Minden Gateway Center, who garnered zoning for a large commercial mall on the approximately 11 acres behind the hotel.

However, the Minden Gateway Center recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leaving much of the infrastructure unfinished.

"We and the Minden Gateway Center are two different entities," Dhami said. "But we've paid a price for some of the improvements that the Minden Gateway was supposed to finish."

Dhami said that price totals about $200,000 in improvements, including utility work, lighting, landscaping, a directional median for the hotel's main access, between Arby's and AM/PM, and some striping.

Whatever obstacles remain in terms of infrastructure, the finished product itself is impressive: 20 suites, an indoor pool and spa, fitness center, guest laundry room, a 47-person conference room and a honeymoon suite with a separate spa. Each room has a 32-inch LCD TV, and the hotel is equipped with complimentary wireless and wired Internet. A free buffet breakfast is also offered to guests each morning.

"Things are already happening," said sales manager Mark Wright. "The chamber has already booked an event for the conference room."

"There is also good demand from weddings and youth sporting activities," added Dhami. "There are a lot of weddings in Genoa over the summer."

However, the only way to really test a market, Dhami said, is to open the doors.

"In three to sixth months, we'll know," he said. "We'll see if the phones are ringing, and if people are walking in."

For information about the hotel, call 782-7500.