October 13, 2009 Summary THE OPPORTUNITY
By means of this Request for Proposals (RFP), the City of Bemidji (City) offers for sale an outstanding lakeside redevelopment property and invites proposals from qualified developers or development teams to plan, design, finance, construct and operate a quality hotel that will serve as an attached headquarters hotel for the Bemidji Regional Event and Convention Center (BREC). The BREC, which is currently under construction, and will open October 2010, will be the hub of entertainment, social, cultural and recreational events in north-central Minnesota. The BREC and the proposed Hotel will be part of a City-owned, 137-acre mixed-use redevelopment project (South Shore) along the shores of Lake Bemidji.
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Rendering: Bemidji Regional Event and Convention Center (BREC) .
THE COMMUNITY
The First City on the Mississippi, Bemidji is located in north central Minnesota, situated at the intersections of U.S. Highway 71 and U.S. Highway 2, approximately 230 miles northwest of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Bemidji is the county seat of Beltrami County, home to Bemidji State University, and has an estimated 250,000 residents within 75 miles of the community. Bemidji is located near Itasca State Park, Lake Bemidji State Park, state forest areas, the Chippewa National Forest, and has 400 fishing lakes within 25 miles. Over 500 miles of snowmobile trails and 160 kilometers of cross-country ski trails are located in close proximity to Bemidji. The Bemidji Regional Airport represents one of the more prominent regional airports in the state, handling nearly 30,000 passengers annually.

PROJECT COMPONENTS
The project will be a 100-room or greater, full-service, quality-branded headquarters hotel to accommodate BREC and other guests. The project will have secure and enclosed functional linkages to the BREC. The City is very interested in a branded hotel product that will include all the state-of-the-industry amenities necessary to optimally service the community, the South Shore and the BREC. The City will consider various branded prototypes and non-prototype models, but product quality and image is of high concern and the City�s decisions concerning developer/operator partner selection will be influenced by this. The information below presents a description of the facilities desired to be included in the BREC development project.

It is envisioned that the selected Developer/ Development Team for this project will purchase the hotel parcel from the City and be responsible for development of the parcel. However, other alternatives will be considered.

Hotel. The hotel must be designed to provide lodging to BREC guests, general public and business clients. Two to five acres of property directly adjacent to the BREC has been designated for the hotel development. BREC design plans call for a physical connection between it and the hotel.

DESIRED Hotel Components:

• Market identity: Full-service or modified full-service
• Hotel size: Minimum of 100 rooms
• Room rates: market competitive
• Room sizes: market competitive
• Hotel services: restaurant/cafe-bar, room cleaning, room service provided by restaurant/cafe-bar, pool, hospitality center, high speed internet, business center, etc.

A downloadable copy of the City's Request for Proposals (RFP) and additional project information is located at the City's website at the following address: 

Click here for the RFP

Questions pertaining to this RFP will only be accepted in writing (email is acceptable) and must be received on or prior to October 29, 2009 and should be addressed to Mr. John Chattin at the above address or [email protected].  Answers to all submitted questions will be made available to any potential proposer upon request during the following week.  
 
Each proposer is required to submit ten (10) hard copies of its proposal response. Proposals must be mailed or hand delivered to the following and received before 4:30 p.m., November 19, 2009. In addition, an electronic copy of the proposal saved in PDF format should also be emailed or provided on CD or DVD. Proposals must be addressed to:

Mr. John Chattin, City Manager
City of Bemidji
317 Fourth Street NW
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601