The Indigo Road Hospitality Group and Larry Spelts, president of the company’s Lodging & Lifestyle Adventures division, will mutually part ways after expanding the hospitality company into the hotel industry officially nearly four years ago at the America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles in 2020.
Effective immediately, Gabriel Perez has been elevated to COO of Lodging & Lifestyle Adventures, ensuring a seamless transition in leadership for the company’s employees, owners, investors and strategic partners.
“In 2019, upon 10 years of success with restaurants and our next adventure of lodging on the horizon, Larry was the first person that I thought of collaborating with,” said Steve Palmer, founder/chief visionary officer, The Indigo Road. “A former colleague and friend, he had established a reputation within our industry of transforming and growing hospitality companies focused upon experience-driven hospitality, and independent and boutique hotels. Larry joined us at Indigo Road, and we quickly saw success in attracting and developing hotel opportunities.”
In addition to building an experienced team of hotel professionals and guiding the division through the COVID-19 pandemic, Spelts spearheaded the acquisition and subsequent 2021 renovation and reopening of Skyline Lodge in Highlands, NC, according to the company. After Skyline, he led the planning of additional projects, including four properties scheduled to open in 2024.
The rapid expansion of The Indigo Road’s Lodging & Lifestyle division in recent years, led by Spelts, has sparked internal conversations about the challenge of sustaining the company’s culture amidst anticipated future growth, the company reports. Balancing the fast pace of expansion with preserving the company’s core values is a primary focus.
“As a result, our team has decided to prioritize current locations and forthcoming 2024 projects and pause on future new development opportunities,” Palmer said. “To maintain our mutual professional respect and years-long friendship, we came to this decision. Larry and I agree that this is the best course of action for us both and to preserve the successful and meaningful Indigo Road culture. I thank Larry for setting us on a trajectory of success in hotels, and I look forward to seeing his future successful endeavors.”
Spelts said, “These past four years have been the best and also the most challenging of my career, and if I have one takeaway as I depart, it is that The Indigo Road’s culture is the core of its success. The pause in developing additional growth on the hotel side of the business is a good opportunity to ensure that the culture is successfully established at the new hotels which will enable a steady and measured addition of more hotels in the future.”
Perez previously served as senior director of lodging operations at The Indigo Road, where he was instrumental in advancing operational standards across the company’s portfolio of boutique hotels in the Southeast, according to the company. Before this new appointment, he was a general manager and director for The Indigo Road. His hospitality experience also includes being a general manager with IHG Hotels & Resorts and Highgate, along with experience at several other prominent hotel brands.
“Taking on the role of COO for our Lodging & Lifestyle Adventures division is an exciting challenge,” Perez said. “Larry has done a fantastic job laying the groundwork, and I’m here to build on that. My goal is to give our existing properties the attention they deserve while pushing forward with projects slated to open in the new year. Keeping our unique culture alive and well is a top priority for me. It’s all about growing our business without losing sight of what makes us special.”
