Red Roof®, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, culminated the yearlong celebration of its 50^th anniversary with a proclamation event on January 31, 2024. Joining the hospitality brand’s senior leadership, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted attended along with New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding, Senator Michele Reynolds (OH-3), Representative Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (OH-4) and business and community leaders from throughout Central Ohio. Red Roof hosted the celebratory event at its corporate headquarters located at 7815 Walton Parkway in New Albany.

As the only hospitality brand headquartered in Ohio and an active fixture in the Central Ohio business community, Red Roof proudly shared this special occasion commemorating 50 memorable years with neighbors and partners during a luncheon program with 100+ guests. During the program, Red Roof Board Member Mohamed Thowfeek, Chief Marketing Officer Marina MacDonald, Chief Development Officer Matthew Hostetler, and Associate General Counsel Nicholas Kolitsos accepted congratulatory proclamations from Lt. Gov. Husted, Mayor Spalding, Senator Reynolds and Representative Brown Piccolantonio.

“In 2022, Ohio’s tourism industry saw 47 million overnight visits, so it’s important that we have convenient places for our visitors to stay,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “I want to congratulate Red Roof on 50 years of excellence in Ohio and their dedication to our state.”

“On behalf of the City of New Albany, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Red Roof on celebrating 50 years of business excellence,” said New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding. “Red Roof’s commitment to providing top-notch hospitality services has been a cornerstone of the company’s success for the past 50 years, and we are proud to have such a distinguished business as part of our local landscape. We look forward to 50 more years of unwavering dedication, innovation, and continued success.”

“From a single hotel 50 years ago, we have grown to nearly 700 hotels in the US and Japan. Our core values and commitment to customer experience remain the same: offering the best experience to our guests, our associates, franchise partners, and vendors. We started as a family-owned business 50 years ago, and today, we are still family-owned.” Thowfeek said.

“We are honored to accept these special proclamations from Lt. Governor Husted, Mayor Spalding, Senator Reynolds and Representative Brown Piccolantonio as we culminate this milestone anniversary. We will continue to make our guests’ happiness and our team members’ wellbeing our focus for the next 50 years and beyond,” Thowfeek concluded.

In February of 1973, the first Red Roof Inn® opened in Grove City, Ohio, offering clean and comfortable rooms and attentive guest service. Fifty years later, Red Roof® still exemplifies value and quality. In 2023, Red Roof was named the Best Budget Hotel by USA Today®. Red Roof’s vision is to provide the best experience and value in the lodging industry for guests, owners, team members, partners and communities. In 2023, Red Roof saw nearly 39 percent growth in new property openings year-over-year.

Timeline History of Red Roof

1973 – The first Red Roof Inn opened in Grove City, Ohio, charging only $8.50 a night.

1982 – The first computer system was installed at Red Roof Inn for reservations management. By 1984, Red Roof was the first in the economy lodging segment to computerize property management systems centrally connected to the corporate office.

1990s – Red Roof became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and was a part of Accor Economy Lodging.

2000s – Red Roof completed the first brand repositioning by securing $250 million in investment, focusing on Smart-by-Design® amenities.

2006 – Red Roof Inn was rated No. 1 in bedding comfort by J.D. Power and first place in the economy hotel category by Best Travel News. Red Roof launched its first mobile website, and upgraded its communication package to include free Wi-Fi.

2010s – Red Roof unveiled its $200 million NextGen renovation and added ‘More WOW to Your Stay’ by introducing the upscale economy brand extension, Red Roof PLUS+^®. In this decade, the brand moved beyond the economy segment with the opening of HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof^®, offering guests the essentials of home, and the first hotel in The Red Collection^®, offering guests upscale stays at affordable prices in select cities.

2020 – Red Roof was a leader in the lodging industry as the world adapted to an ever-changing pandemic landscape. It introduced more rigorous cleaning protocols to keep guests healthy and addressed new expectations, giving consumers the confidence to hit the road again. Across the country, Red Roof provided assistance and support for essential workers on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19 by donating rooms to first responders.

2021 – With relentless focus on what guests want and need, Red Roof was one of the first brands in the industry to show positive revenue growth, ending 2021 with revenue 16 percent higher than 2019 and grew to more than 60,000 guest rooms across the United States. The brand also redesigned HomeTowne Studios® with an increased focus on efficiency for the franchisee and comfort for the guest.

2023 – Opening 50 new properties in its 50^th anniversary year, Red Roof celebrated half a century as an iconic American lodging brand dedicated to being a more active partner in its communities and providing its guests with the best experience and value in the lodging industry. Red Roof launched SHE, a women-focused 360-degree program, including an online platform providing thought leadership and resource access. Red Roof also introduced RIDE, dedicated to growing their population of minority owners. Thirty-five percent of Red Roof hotels are owned or partially owned by women.