Minden hotel to open in May

The three-story, 51,000-square-foot, 80-room Holiday Inn Express under construction in Minden is scheduled to open in May, according to Jaswinder Singh Dhami, chief executive officer of Minden Hotel, LLC.

"We think there is a demand for an upscale newer property," Dhami said. "We've been looking at the market for eight years, and we finally found a good spot of land."

Dhami said the time was right to build despite the economic recession.

"We still think it's a good time because we would like to get the summer leisure business, which includes reunions, sports tournaments and weddings," Dhami said.

The hotel is located near the intersection of Highway 395 and State Route 88. It is part of the proposed Minden Gateway Center, the development of which, including 190,000 square feet of commercial space, has been delayed by the recession.

"It's not a big concern for us because we're not depending on those businesses alone," Dhami said. "The center might bring us a couple of rooms a night, but we're going to build a hotel even if those businesses do not come. We're depending on GE and Carson Valley Medical Center for business, and we're depending on 395 and 88 right next to it."

Dhami said business men and women will make up an important part of the hotel's customer base.

"We'll have a meeting room that holds up to 50 people," he said. "We'll have a business center and free wireless Internet throughout the hotel and a work desk for business people in every room."

But Dhami said the hotel will also target families.

"The good thing about our hotel is that it caters to both business people and families," he said. "We'll have an indoor pool for families and a spa and fitness room. A full complimentary buffet breakfast will be included everyday."

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

Both engineers, Jaswinder is the company's chief of operations, and Malkiat Dhami the chief of construction.

"Holiday Inns are part of the InterContinental Hotel Group that has 1,500 Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide," Jaswinder Dhami said.

For more information, visit www.ichotelsgroup.com.