STORRS, Conn. – Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (AJ Capital Partners), owner of the Graduate Hotels brand, and the University of Connecticut have reached an agreement in which the company will buy UConn’s Nathan Hale Inn. The UConn Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to authorize university officials to sign agreements with AJ Capital Partners, in which the company will buy the 98-room hotel at UConn Storrs and lease for the land on which it is situated. The hotel will undergo a renovation to convert to Graduate Storrs, part of the Graduate Hotels collection, and open in late 2019.
Created for travelers who seek memory-making journeys, Graduate Hotels is a thoughtfully crafted collection of hotels that reside in the most dynamic university-anchored cities across the country. Each property celebrates and commemorates the optimistic energy of its community, while offering an extended retreat to places that often play host to the best days of our lives. There are currently 11 open and operating hotels across the U.S. and an additional 11 hotels under development slated to open by 2020.
“We are honored by UConn’s decision to allow us to transform the Nathan Hale Inn into a hotel that is truly benefitting such a great university,” said Tim Franzen, President of Graduate Hotels.
The Nathan Hale Inn opened in 2001 and is centrally located on the UConn campus, providing easy access for guests to on-campus events and other attractions in the region and state. UConn purchased it in 2015 and has been using half of the guest rooms for student housing, with the rest continuing to function as a hotel.
The hotel will undergo a comprehensive renovation to convert it to Graduate Storrs, which will touch all guestrooms, common areas, the restaurant and bar, and meeting rooms. “We are delighted to welcome Graduate Hotels to Storrs,” UConn President Susan Herbst said. “This accomplishes two key university goals: to have a quality hotel in Storrs that is operated privately at no expense to the university or the state. This will be an extremely welcome addition to the campus that will meet the needs of countless visitors and guests for years to come.”
