GT Resort and Spa completes hotel renovation project

Mark Urban, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

May 17—ACME — Right on time.

A $10.5 million renovation project to renovate the original six-story hotel at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa has been completed.

The construction project began Nov. 7 and was unveiled to media Tuesday morning.

"We'll have 99 percent of it completed," Grand Traverse Resort and Spa general manager Matthew Bryant said on Monday. "Just in time for the summer season."

In addition to being completed on time and close to budget, Bryant said how the different vendors worked together and with the staff at the resort was a pleasure.

Bryant said all there were meetings every Monday so those working on the project would know about upcoming events at the resort.

He said having nearly all of the work and equipment coming from state companies made everything go on schedule.

"Having all of the vendors from Michigan and in the local community, we never had any issues or delays from them," Bryant said. "They knew our convention business coming in and they worked with us.

"There would be so many people in a room working, but the guests never knew (there was new construction) going on. (The vendors) were so focused, not only on us, but on our customers and guests."

Grand Traverse Resort has partnered with Traverse City construction companies including Bouma Corporation, D&W Mechanical, Denoyer Brothers Moving, Northern Michigan Glass and TC Millworks on the project, according to the release.

Other state companies working on the project include Sunrise Electric in Gaylord and Welch Tile and Marble in Grand Rapids.

Interior design work is being done by Fuller Design from Grand Rapids.

Some guests have already stayed in the 242 renovation rooms in the original six-story portion of the hotel, which opened in 1980.

The project includes two new junior suites and four more new hospitality suites.

Renovation and reconstruction was done in stages starting with the sixth floor and moving down, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Communications Manager Caroline Rizzo said.

The floor-by-floor approach means some guests have been in the new rooms since early March.

"Our reviews have been going up and up and up," Bryant said.

Each of the new rooms will have a 55-inch smart TV, a mini-refrigerator, k-cup style coffee makers and power units with USB plug-ins.

Rizzo said a lot of reviews mentioned the clean lines and look of the new rooms.

Previous rooms with a pair of double beds will now feature two queen-size beds in the renovation, Bryant said for a Nov. 6, 2022 Record-Eagle article. Bathroom vanities and a tile shower are also part of the upgrades.

The new interior design and visual changes — which include corridors — were done by the resort owners, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Bryant said the colors, palette and artwork reflect the heritage of the area, but next to modern construction like the building's tower.

"It was all a great blend of everything together," he said.

The project was originally meant to be a $10 million project. But the resort's information technology department identified upgrading the low-voltage lines as well as Internet Protocol address upgrades for every phone and TV.

It added about $500,000 to the project, but Bryant said in November the "significant upgrade" of the technological work was needed.

"We went from Cat5 to Cat6 (cables)," Bryant said. "There was a spaghetti full of cables up and down the hallways."