Success Story
The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center - Englewood, CO
Developed by US WEST in the fast-growing area south of Denver, the Scanticon Hotel and Conference Center Denver was one of the first full-service hotels within the highly commercial environment. Despite a lack of lodging in the area, the Scanticon never attained full market penetration. In January 1995, Lowe Enterprises Investment Management (LEIM) acquired the Scanticon Denver on behalf of a pension fund. Destination Hotels & Resorts began operating the hotel and golf course, renaming it The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center.
Destination viewed The Inverness as a regional conference center rather than merely another local hotel. Sales and marketing efforts focused on building lucrative convention business to alleviate dependency on local market demand. Acclaimed dining, a championship golf course and a state-of-the-art conference center made the property unique in the area, but was not fully exploited to draw business. Destination utilized these as a key draw, and made the hotel more appealing to both corporate and leisure guests by renovating the property to give an ambiance more suiting to the High Plains of Colorado. The Inverness now competes on a regional level with several other upscale hotels and conference centers.
To correct a weak market identity, management initiatives concentrated on spreading the name recognition among meeting planners and large corporations. Today the property is well known as the only resort hotel in the Denver metro area that has AAA Four-Diamond status and is certified by the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC).
