White Lodging and Milestones
White Lodging History and Milestones
White LodgingOur future is dependent
on maintaining the values
and traditions from our past, while always remaining focused on getting better in
the eyes of our associates, owners and guests.
White Lodging
Bruce White
Chairman and CEO

White Lodging was established in 1985 in Merrillville, IN by hotel management entrepreneur Bruce White. The company’s flagship Holiday Inn at Star Plaza complex was born—featuring the 3,400-seat Star Plaza Theatre which ‘wowed’ the small home town community with Las Vegas style entertainment. Guided by Bruce’s vision over the past 20 years, the company and it’s valued associates have established a reputation built on trust, reliability and a long-term, partnership-based approach to all facets of hotel business ownership, development and operations management.

Today, White Lodging continues to deliver superior leading brand hotel experiences and premium returns on investment among mid-to large scale hotels across the country. The company’s evolution includes significant achievements and milestones:

2008 Milestones:


  • Broke ground on 340-guestroom Westin Austin at The Domain hotel in Texas.
  • Recognized by Marriott International with four prestigious awards - our 13th Partnership Circle, Developer of the Year and two Service Excellence awards for Marriott and Renaissance brands.
  • Broke ground on the $425 million JW Marriott Indianapolis development featuring 1,623 rooms in the heart of downtown Indianapolis.
  • Received Hilton's Developer of the Year award for the Hilton Garden Inn brand
  • Opened 333-room SpringHill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites Louisville Downtown project
  • Opened first Sheraton brand hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Opened 523 room Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites Chicago River North, a unique urban development with shared public space
  • Announcement of headquarter expansion creating up to 100 new jobs
  • Recognized as one of the Training Top 125 by Training Magazine
  • Acquired management contract for 401-room Richmond Marriott Convention Hotel in Virginia

Milestone Archive:


1985-1992

1985

  • Assumed management for Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza and 3,400 seat Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville, Indiana
  • Assumed management for Holiday Inn Evansville Airport, Evansville, IN

1987

  • Opening of very first TGI Friday’s hotel/franchise operated restaurant, Indianapolis, IN

1990

  • Opening of very first franchised Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotel, Merrillville, IN

1991

  • Opening of our first Courtyard by Marriott hotel, Merrillville, Indiana
  • Opening of our first Residence Inn by Marriott hotel, South Bend, IN
  • Grow portfolio total to nine hotels and 1,489 units

1992

  • Received Courtyard and Fairfield Inn by Marriott Hero award
1994-1999

1994

  • Assumed management of first Midway Hotel Center property

1995

  • 25th Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, South Bend/Mishawaka, IN opened
  • Received first Marriott International Partnership Circle award

1996

  • Opened 11 new hotels, total portfolio of 4,202 managed units
  • Received Marriott International Construction Excellence award
  • Received Marriott International Developer of the Year award

1999

  • Opened four new hotels, total portfolio of 6,647 managed units
  • Received second Marriott International Partnership Circle award
2000-2004

2000

  • Opened 50th hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott, Boulder/Louisville, CO
  • Opened first SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Austin, Texas

2001

  • Opened 615-room Marriott Indianapolis Downtown Convention Hotel, including Starbucks, Champions, and Circle City Grille, and received Marriott Opening of the Year award
  • Received best CRFST Opening of the Year for Residence Inn Boulder/Louisville, Colorado
  • Named International Franchise Association’s Franchisee of the Year
  • Break 10,000 units managed mark

2002

  • First Renaissance Hotel featuring Bin 595 Eclectic Grille & Wine Bar, opened in Fort Lauderdale/Plantation, Florida
  • First Renaissance Suites Hotel opened, including Flatz Rocky Mountain Grille, in Boulder/Broomfield, Colorado
  • Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories
  • Broke ground on 617-room Louisville, Kentucky Marriott Downtown Convention hotel
  • Assumed management of largest Hilton Garden Inn, Chicago, Illinois

2003

  • Opened first downtown Chicago, Illinois property, the 306-room Courtyard by Marriott Magnificent Mile
  • Received fifth Marriott International Partnership Circle award
  • Received Marriott International "Developer of the Year" award
2004
  • Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron named #1 guest scores for brand
  • Residence Inn Boulder/Longmont recognized as #1 guest scores for brand
  • Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Midway breaks ground
  • Courtyard Boulder/Longmont awarded #1 in guest scores for brand
  • Indianapolis Marriott Downtown named Event Management Team of the Year – Franchise Partner, North America
  • Residence Inn Louisville Downtown breaks ground
2005-2007

2005

  • Opened our 100th hotel, Residence Inn Louisville Downtown
  • T.J. Maloney's Authentic Irish Pub opens in Merrillville, Indiana
  • Designated as preferred management company by Starwood Hotels
  • Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories
  • Renaissance Boulder Suites at Flatiron named Hotel of the Year at Marriott conference
  • SpringHill Suites Denver Westminster named Hotel of the Year at CFRST conference
  • Awarded management contract for five premium branded hotels from Apple REIT Six Inc.
  • Opened 616-room Marriott Louisville Downtown, Kentucky Convention hotel and received Marriott Opening of the Year

2006

  • Received Marriott International "Full Service Conversion of the Year" for the Marriott Midway Airport
  • Received our ninth and tenth Marriott International Partnership Circle Award
  • Received the Marriott International Developer of the Year award
  • Received Marriott Franchise Revenue Management Team of the Year Award
  • Opened the 449 room Residence Inn/Courtyard Austin Downtown, a unique urban development with shared public space
  • White Lodging sells 100 hotels to RLJ Development, LLC for $1.7 billion

2007

  • Received two Marriott Partnership Circle awards, in full-service and CFRST categories, totaling twelve to date.
  • Received Marriott International's Design and Construction Excellence award for opening of SpringHill Suites Indianapolis/Fishers hotel.
  • Received our fourth Developer of the Year award from Marriott International.
  • Michigan State University names White Lodging Industry Partner of the Year at annual Career Expo
  • Chairman Bruce White is the honored commencement speaker and is presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University.
  • Opened company's first Marriott brand hotel in Phoenix, Arizona with the Courtyard
  • Opened first Embassy Suites in Brandon, Florida marking 120th hotel added to portfolio
  • Broke ground on 333-room SpringHill Suites/Fairfield Inn Louisville Downtown, a unique urban development with shared public space
  • Opened first Marriott brand hotel in Grand Junction, Colorado with the Residence Inn
  • Underwent a restructuring to enhance organizational capability to support long-term growth
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