lockedoutlogic
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2007
It's not unusual for a company to own multiple, competing hotel brands within the same metropolitan area. As long as key personnel at each property only have access to proprietary information about their individual hotel, hotel groups do not typically see that setup as a problem.
A 350-room hotel will require it's own full-time staff. That's especially true if this new hotel is positioned as a luxury property. As such, any staff overlap with the Walt Disney World Swan and/or Dolphin is largely irrelevant. If a guest has a problem at this new hotel, it won't go over well if she or he is told: "Sorry. You can't speak to a manager. She's working at the Dolphin today."
Regardless, even competing brands can still benefit from some consolidated services. The new hotel can still outsource their laundry services to Swan/Dolphin (provided they have that capacity). Other services like security, telephone operators, or valet could be outsourced, as well.
For example, one hotel I used to work had our own laundry facilities. Our main competitor was a Marriott that was quite literally about 120 feet away. They didn't have a laundry, so they contracted with us to handle their dry cleaning services.
Certainly, it's possible that the new hotel will fall under the Marriott/Starwood umbrella. But, if Tishman believes that financial benefits of selecting a competing brand far outweigh the convenience of staying within, I don't think they'd hesitate.
None of that is in dispute...I just don't think it makes sense for them to go that route.
Another issue that the hotel operators never have to deal with is what is here: another company will own the land forever and they have municipal authority/proprietary power over it in what amounts to a "special economic district"
That doesn't really exist anywhere else in the us except on native reservations.