With tourism in mind, 94-room hotel breaks ground in Carson City

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Life and business have come full circle for Crystal Maggelet.

In 1972, Maggelet's father, Jay Call, owner of a national chain of truck stops called Flying J, built his first motel to diversify his business as the gas crisis loomed.

Call chose Carson City and built his motel on Carson Street, although Maggelet can't recall its name or exact location. She remembers the motel was near a Fastway service station, also owned by her father.

“It was on the main drag and I don't know if it still exists,” she said.

Maggelet, CEO, chairman and president of FJ Management Inc., formerly Flying J. Inc., is now building Carson City's newest hotel — a three-story, 94-room Staybridge Suites on Retail Court.

“It's just tremendous you started here and now you'll have another one,” said Mayor Bob Crowell at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 6.

Staybridge Suites is part of IHG, a hotel business whose brands include Holiday Inn and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. The Staybridge brand is an upscale extended-stay hotel with 500 square-foot suites featuring full kitchens.

The properties are pet-friendly, serve free breakfast and, in the Carson City hotel, offer a manager's reception with beer and wine three nights a week.

Metcalf Builders Inc. is building the hotel, which should open in about a year.

The hotel project is being managed by MacCall Hotel Management & Development, a company Maggelet and her husband founded in 1993. The business operates its own small chain of hotels, Crystal Inns, with three locations in Salt Lake City and surrounding area and another in Great Falls, Montana.

“In 2002, was the last hotel we broke ground on,” said Maggelet.

MacCall originally tried to purchase the Holiday Inn Express in north Carson City, which was sold two years ago, said Dave De Young, senior director of hotel management, MacCall.

“The deal didn't work out and I told the investors why not just build our own hotel there?” said De Young.

De Young said Carson City's appeal lies in its tourism, including sporting events and the biennial legislature.

“It is always exciting when a new business opens in Carson City, but it is even more exciting when that new business is a hotel for that brings in new visitors to our community,” said Ronni Hannaman, executive director, Carson City Chamber of Commerce. “Those visitors spend money everywhere. They eat in our restaurants, shop in our local stores, visit our attractions, and spread the word that Carson City is a great place to visit and stay when in our region.”