WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021
Redmond, Oregon • $1
Inside: Flashback »
redmondspokesman.com
A special good morning to subscriber Mike Plenge
@RedmondSpox
REDMOND IS SPROUTING HOTELS
Occupancy rates tops
80% most of the year
BY SUZANNE ROIG
For The Spokesman
REDMOND — The devel-
oper of two hotels in Redmond
and one in Bend is bullish on
Central Oregon and plans to
add more near the Pine Ridge
Inn on SW Mount Bachelor
Drive.
In all the Wealth Hospital-
ity, which formerly was called
Heritage Hospitality, will be
responsible for building more
hotel rooms over the next de-
cade in Bend and Redmond,
according to Chico Patel, com-
pany president. Earlier this
month, the company opened
a Home2 Suites near the St.
Charles Bend hospital.
Central Oregon has seven
to eight months a year of occu-
pancies north of 80%, Patel said.
Those are great rates for a devel-
oper especially in markets that
cater to the outdoors and are
projecting continued growth.
“We’re looking at a combi-
nation of leisure and business
travelers at these properties,”
Patel said. “The growth of Red-
mond has been exceptional.”
Normally a town the size of
Redmond with a population
of about 36,000, according to
U.S. Census Bureau 2019 esti-
mates, has nearly a dozen ma-
jor branded hotels, Patel said.
Today it has a Comfort Suites,
a SCP Redmond Hotel and a
Best Western Plus.
“Redmond continues to
show strong growth and as the
community and other eco-
nomic drivers like the Red-
mond Airport and the De-
schutes County Fair and Expo
Center continue to grow, the
demand for overnight stays in
Redmond will grow exponen-
tially,” said Eric Sande, Red-
mond Chamber of Commerce
executive director.
Patel’s firm was poised to
open a 105-room Hampton
Inn & Suites in Redmond in
March, near the airport, but
an electrical rooftop fire a year
ago delayed the opening, Patel
said. The company spent the
past seven months negotiating
with insurance people and in-
vestigators to make the repairs.
See Hotels / P3
An artist’s rendering of the Home2 Suites by Hilton that opened this
November is located on the east side of Bend at SE 27th Street and Liv-
ingston Drive.
Festival of Lights shines
Submitted photo
Santa will be on hand at the walk-through of the holiday lights display now on at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds & Expo.
Holiday display will be at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo through Jan. 1
From a press release
REDMOND — Everyone loves touring
to see the holiday light decorations across
Redmond and Central Oregon.
New this year is the Holiday Lights at
the Deschutes County Fair & Expo, a walk-
through holiday light experience, which
makes its debut in 2021 to celebrate the
season with 100,000 square feet of lights to
greet Yuletide revelers.
Holiday Lights opened Nov. 19 and ends
on New Year’s Day. Starting Wednesday,
Dec. 1, it is open seven days a week from
noon to 10 p.m. Tickets range from a gen-
eral admission of $18 weekdays to $25
weekends to a family four pack for $60.
Tickets for various experiences are available
at HolidayLightsDCF.com.
“Deschutes County Fair & Expo is ex-
tremely happy to bring in another fun fam-
ily event that can be participated in safely.
The Holiday Lights event will be an excep-
tional experience for families to enjoy to-
gether and to celebrate the holidays,” said
Geoff Hinds, general manager of the fair-
grounds. “With the last holiday season be-
ing such a difficult year for everyone, we
look forward to seeing many smiling, happy
faces at this wonderful event. We welcome
all to enjoy the magic of the holiday lights
and hope that everyone’s spirits are lifted by
this event.”
Holiday Lights at Deschutes County Fair
& Expo is designed to be enjoyed from the
comfort of one’s own pace strolling through
the exhibits. At every turn, the route is an-
ticipated to overflow with spectacular light
displays, along with Christmas melodies
that bring popular holiday themes and
characters to life.
If You Go
Ticket options* Nov. 19 through New Year’s Day:
• General admission: $18 online weekdays & $25
weekend
• Family four pack: $60
• Corporate groups email info@rpmtix.com
*Prices subject to change
For tickets and latest event details, visit Holiday-
LightsDCF.com and follow on Instagram and Face-
book @HolidaylightstDCF.
The walk-through holiday light show is a “completely
immersive” experience, promoters say.
Submitted photo
The Spokesman uses
recycled newsprint
DAILY EVENTS
Events in and around Redmond
The Redmond Spokesman welcomes event information for
its community calendar. Submissions are limited to nonprofit,
free and live entertainment events. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday
for the following Wednesday’s paper. Items are published on a
space-available basis and may be edited. Contact us at
news@redmondspokesman.com or fax 541-548-3203.
Three Sisters Lions Club 10th Annual Holiday Faire: The annual
boutique-style fair features gift items made by local vendors;
10 a.m.-5 p.m.; free; Sisters Lions Holiday Faire, 142 E. Main St., Sisters;
sisterscountry.com.
WEDNESDAY 12/1
Living Well with Chronic Conditions: The Crook, Deschutes and
Jefferson County health departments are offering this six week, online
class to support people living with chronic health conditions; 2-4 p.m.;
free $10 suggested donation for workbook; Your Health Central Oregon,
online; yourhealthcentraloregon.org
Tetherow Holiday Bazaar: Enjoy a free round of Santa-riffic cocktails,
free snacks and local artisans and vendors; 4-8 p.m.; free; Event Pavilion,
61240 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend
THURSDAY 12/2
Holiday Lights: A walk-through holiday light show spanning 100,000
sq. ft. with more than 3 million dazzling lights happening daily; 4 a.m.-
10 p.m.; $25 per person, $65 family four pack, $95 family six pack;
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond;
holidaylightexperience.com or 541-548-2711.
Empowering Families Luncheon: The Latino Community
Association luncheon raises funds to support English, computer and
citizenship classes, employment assistance, legal clinics, income
See Calendar / P3
INDEX
Puzzles ............. 2 Obituaries ....... 5
Flashback ........ 2 Classifieds ....... 5
Volume 112, No. 14
USPS 778-040
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