Liberty’s Wingate purchase a ‘quality’ investment

The university now has the ability to offer discounts for Liberty-related visitors who need a place to stay

Liberty University recently purchased the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel on Candlers Mountain Road this past summer at an auction where they out bid two other participants.

Wingate — The hotel purchased by the university sits on the campus. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby

The hotel was built in 1998 and auctioned for $9.2 million due to foreclosure, according to the Liberty University News Service.

During the auction, Liberty was represented by Executive Vice President Neal Askew, who currently serves on the school’s Board of Trustees.

“When Liberty University learned that the Wingate Hotel was available for purchase last summer, we immediately began the process to determine our uses and what the financial impact could be,” Askew said. “We knew we were interested in obtaining the property based on the location and possibilities it offered. Since the hotel is basically in the middle of all the property that Liberty owns, it was a perfect fit.”

According to Askew, ideas of converting the hotel to student housing were thrown around, but after some thought and research, it was determined that the hotel should remain as it is.

“We knew we would make every attempt to improve and upgrade the facility to become a quality hotel property,” Askew said. “The view of the campus alone makes the property a huge asset for Liberty as an investment and meeting facility for all who come to visit Liberty University. We also believe it can become a vital part of an academic hospitality program in the near future.”

According to Vice President for Financial Research and Analysis Richard Martin, the hotel has discounts available for Liberty affiliates such as students, alumni, online students and parents. It also provides the thousands of Liberty Online students coming to campus for intensives a convenient place to stay since the hotel is located right on the existing transit system.

According to Martin, Liberty administration is aware of the impact Liberty makes on out-of-town guests and wishes to continue to uphold that reputation of high-quality lodging.

“Soon after taking over the property, it became evident that we had one of the best hotels in Lynchburg, with a perfect location, an exceptionally qualified staff, and growth potential that could support the growth of the university,” Martin said. “With the help of the management company, we retained to operate the facility, we have been successful in gaining approval to convert the property into one of the strongest hotel brands in the market today.”

Martin also said that the hotel has been a good investment for Liberty so far and presents an opportunity to significantly improve the experience for the guests that visit the university and surrounding area.

“The strongest brands have the ability to provide the highest and most consistent guest experience while maintaining very strong sales and brand loyalty,” Martin said. “High guest satisfaction and strong sales means continued improvement of the financial stability of Liberty University. The Wingate is one of the highest rated properties in Lynchburg, and we believe after this conversion that we will have a facility that the entire community can be proud of.”

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