Upon the completion of the conversion in February, the Waupaca location will be the 17th Baymont Inn Suites in Wisconsin and the 161st property in the U.S. It will be franchised by The Marcus Corporation and will continue to be owned and operated by Grand Seasons, Inc.

According to General Manager Richard Batley, the change to Baymont Inn Suites is an exciting development for the staff, the guests and the community. "We selected the national Baymont Inns Suites franchise because of the organization's customer-driven philosophy, commitment to deliver value and The Marcus Corporation's 64-year track record," said Batley.

The property will have 90 guest rooms and suites and will immediately undergo more than a half million dollars in upgrades and renovations in areas including the lobby, meeting rooms, selected guest rooms, the swimming pool, sauna and the whirlpool. The Waupaca Fitness Center, owned and operated by Grand Seasons, Inc., will continue to serve local community residents and hotel guests. Commenting on the conversion, Baymont Inns Suites president David T. Lucas said, "Baymont offers a fresh, vibrant look combined with a great value for travelers different from any other lodging chain. Waupaca is an excellent location for a Baymont Inn Suites because of its combination of corporate and leisure business."

The Waupaca Baymont Inn Suites will offer guests a free lobby breakfast, complimentary in-room coffee or tea, free local telephone calls and guest voice mail, in-room irons, ironing boards and hair dryers, a free copy of USA Today, and free satellite movies.

The Waupaca property, like all Baymont Inns Suites, will feature rooms geared toward business travelers to provide an "office-away-from-the-office," including speakerphone capabilities, an ergonomic chair, a task lamp for easy computer use, and an executive-sized desk.

"Looking to the future, the addition of Waupaca is an example of The Marcus Corporation's plans to expand its number of franchise-owned locations," added Lucas. "Our objective is to seek out strategic locations, potential conversions and superb property owners, like in the case of Waupaca, to fuel our franchise growth," said Lucas. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., The Marcus Corporation is comprised of four divisions: inns and suites, movie theatres, hotels/resorts and restaurants. The company operates or franchises 160 Baymont Inns Suites in 30 states, and a total of five Woodfield Suites in Wisconsin, Colorado and Ohio; 398 movie screens in Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Minnesota and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin; three hotels and a resort in Wisconsin, one hotel and a resort in California, one hotel in Minnesota and one resort in Michigan; and 30 KFC restaurants in Wisconsin. To make reservations for Baymont Inns Suites or to receive a directory of locations, call 800-301-0200.