May 1 is new opening date at Holiday Inn Express

The calendar and weather have combined to delay the planned opening of the newly remodeled Cheney Holiday Inn Express

In a December Cheney Free Press story, Debbie Anderson, who along with husband, Brian, own the local hotel, were confident the project would have been completed by mid-March for an addition that included new rooms and a conference center.

The first hiccup came when furniture ordered from China was delayed by the holiday that goes with the Chinese New Year that was observed Feb. 7 – 13.

Next, the elevator for the new addition was destroyed, along with the truck that was transporting it, after the two were caught in a tornado in Texas.

Slowly the opening moved from March to early April and now to May 1, Debbie Anderson said.

"We will open (Sunday) May 1 with an open house scheduled for Thursday, May 19." That event will showcase area caterers with food and beverages. There are two weddings booked for May, Anderson noted.

But the progress is certainly noticeable after a quick tour March 21 through the new space that is currently a home for ever-present construction dust and littered with stacks of new materials crews are scurrying to put in place.

"We're coming down to the home stretch," general contractor Matt Boyd said. "Ninety percent of your effort is in the last 10 percent."

Model rooms are complete in the existing hotel portion and include plenty of the latest in amenities, Anderson explained.

Each room will feature blackout shades that close out the outside light much better than traditional curtains. The rooms all will feature local art from Cheney, Anderson said. "They (Holiday Inn) wanted a completely different look."

All rooms will have a coffee bar featuring the Keurig machines that can deliver customized hot beverages to guests. That is part of what Anderson called "refreshment zones," in the new look. Some rooms will feature a wet bar.

The backlit mirrors are a nice addition, except, Anderson said, "They show off every imperfection on your face," she joked.

Rooms will also feature built-in charging stations for computers and phones. Hi-tech comfort controls will help maintain specific temperatures until it is reset.

Anderson confirmed furniture will arrive at the Port of Seattle March 30. And like much of today's furniture, it's all "knock down" that has to be put together.

The mock-up rooms provided the test for crews to put all the parts together, Anderson said. "They've kind of got it down," she added.

The conference center is something Anderson is especially excited to see fully functional as it will allow groups up to 200 to meet under one roof. The hope is it will draw meetings for area groups that have had to travel elsewhere.

The room, which can be divided into smaller areas, also features a full kitchen.

One special addition that had to be moved to accommodate new construction was the hotel's special equipment drying rooms for hockey teams visiting to play Eastern Washington University.

A brand new room has been built, Anderson said. "They don't have to come through the hotel at all," something guests will really appreciate because without adequate locker facilities at the University Rec Center, teams have to take their gear with them - and it does carry a unique odor.

Ground was broken in early September 2015 for the $3.5 million expansion, which adds 46 more guest rooms to the existing 76-room hotel and also increases the size and capabilities of the conference center.

The expansion is also part of a $1.5 million remodel of the existing hotel rooms and lobby spaces, bringing the total cost of the project to $5 million.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].