Endeavor Hotel Group CEO talks vision for Hotel Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Since the city purchased Hotel Topeka in 2023, it's invested over 12 million dollars into the building. After signing off on a tentative deal with Endeavor Hotel Group last month, city leaders hope to get that money back over the next 20 years.

In a previous interview with Endeavor CEO Roy Arnold, he said that the hotel is losing money and is underperforming the market. So why is he interested in taking it off the city's hands? He says the property can attract large conferences to the community that wouldn't normally come here.

"Full-service conference hotels have a diversified business model, which is more complicated, takes more people, but which delivers both more revenue for us but also serves other better community interest," Arnold said.

If the sale goes through, Arnold says he wants to get a national brand for the hotel, bringing more recognition in the marketplace. While sprucing up the hotel and its facilities is part of the plan, the most important aspect of this particular project...

"Is it's not just the hotel, it's the conference facility," Arnold said. "Because we want to be able to not only meet the expectations of guests that attend conferences, but if we want to attract the business, we have to deliver those things that meeting planners that make the decisions on where they're going to take conferences, we want them to choose Topeka."

With plans to bring Hotel Topeka back to life, Councilman Brett Kell says he believes going with Endeavor is a no-brainer.

"We're getting what we're asking for," Kell said. "Updating the hotel, a flag, or a name brand, or however you want to put it. Someone that wants to attract events, and someone that has a long-term plan and a long-term investment into the hotel. To me, this sounds like a very good deal for the city and for the hotel."

"My view is this is going to happen," Arnold said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we had a product that is going to speak for itself."

A big part of Endeavor buying Hotel Topeka is if the county puts in the money to fix up the conference center. Arnold tells 27 News that conversations are going well and that he is optimistic. He adds that he has another meeting with the county on Wednesday.

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