This week’s guest specializes in working with local governments to help bring projects to completion. With over 30 years of experience, he knows how to help cities and counties develop crucial assets. Welcome to the show, Chief Development Officer and Head of Design and Construction at Garfield Public/ Private, Steve Galbreath!

Steve joins Host Dan Ryan to discuss the ways a hotel can impact a local community. Steve shares why a hotel serves more than just its guests, the methods to use a hotel to benefit small businesses, and the nuances of working with city governments. 

Takeaways: 

• At its core, hospitality is about making spaces for people. However, it doesn’t revolve around just the customer. Hospitality needs to focus on the whole community, the city, and the workers. 
• Before putting in a new hotel, it’s important to have a thorough plan based on market research. If there are other hotels in the area, it’s crucial to understand how your project will intertwine with what is currently in place.  
• For many counties, a well thought out hotel can be a major tourist attraction. To pull off a project successfully requires an intimate understanding of the town’s needs, and a connection to key players in the hospitality industry. 
• When working with local governments on a project, contract lengths are often longer than a given official holds office. Maintaining a good relationship as positions change hands is crucial to the success of a project. 
• The job of a hotel is not just to house guests, but to prop up other businesses as well. As travelers come in, they will visit bars and restaurants downtown. Planning location accordingly helps weave the hotel into the fabric of the city. 
• A great way to get a hotel's profitability up and running is to start booking businesses at a local convention center as soon as you start breaking ground. By starting early, you ensure the hotel doesn’t sit underutilized for the first few months. 
• An exciting aspect of the hospitality industry is to see staff grow and evolve within the industries. Most brands want to grow their talent and it’s common for a bartender or room manager to become a GM 10 years down the line. 

Quote of the Show:

• “We're not in the business of convincing people to do these projects. We're in the business of helping them do it when they've got the resolve to do it.” - Steve Galbreath

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephengalbreath/ 
• Website: https://garfieldpublicprivate.com/ 

Shout Outs:

• 4:48 - Abilene DoubleTree: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/abidtdt-doubletree-abilene-downtown-convention-center/ 
• 4:54 - Weston Irving: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/daliw-the-westin-irving-convention-center-at-las-colinas/overview/ 
• 4:57 - Hyatt Regency Conroe: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/iahrc-hyatt-regency-conroe 
• 5:00 - Hyatt Regency Baytown: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/iahrb-hyatt-regency-baytown-houston 
• 8:10 - RTKL: https://www.callisonrtkl.com/ 
• 8:12 - Sheraton San Juan: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sjusi-sheraton-puerto-rico-resort-and-casino/overview/ 
• 8:19 - Jerry Faley
• 8:30 - The Diplomat Fort Lauderdale: https://www.diplomatresort.com/ 
• 9:45 - Carl Long: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-long-pmi/ 
• 10:52 - Overton Lubbock: https://www.overtonhotel.com/ 
• 10:55 - Texas Tech University: https://www.ttu.edu/ 
• 17:27 - ExxonMobil: https://www.exxon.com/en 
• 17:28 - Chevron: https://www.chevron.com/sustainability 
• 21:02 - Abilene Convention Center Hotel Corporation
• 28:10 - Perini Ranch: https://www.periniranch.com/ 
• 34:00 - Jefferson City, MO: https://www.jeffersoncitymo.gov/ 
• 34:41 - Robert Hanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hanna-536a192/ 
• 53:53 - Toyota Music Factory: https://www.toyotamusicfactory.com/ 
• 1:01:34 - Conrad Hilton
• 1:03:23 - Buddy Holly Hall: https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/ 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419