Lodging study begins in Estacada

Study will examine potential for additional lodging options in Estacada

By Evan Jensen

The Estacada News, Feb 3, 2010

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If you’ve ever had more than a houseful of relatives come to visit, or hosted a business meeting with visitors from out of town, chances are pretty good that your guests didn’t stay in Estacada.

A few rooms are available at the Red Fox Motel, but beyond that, the community doesn’t have any local lodging for business travelers, visitors or vacationers who want to stop in Estacada. However, with an estimated $14,500 grant from Clackamas County Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Estacada Chamber of Commerce hopes to see that change.

The Estacada Chamber of Commerce was recently awarded the grant to conduct a lodging feasibility study for the area and, after a competitive bid process, selected the California-based consulting firm Horwath HTL Group to conduct the research.

“The lodging feasibility study involves looking at opportunities for all kinds of lodging such as yurts, RV parks, bed and breakfasts, motels, hotels and boutique inns,” Estacada Tourism Committee member Phil Lingelbach said. “The purpose of the study is to see if there are opportunities for additional lodging in Estacada that would provide more options for people who want to stay here.”

Events such as the Clackamas Whitewater Festival in May, national and state disc golf tournaments at Milo McIver State Park and the Estacada Summer Celebration, plus skiing at Mt. Hood resorts and a host of other outdoor recreational activities, draw thousands of people through Estacada every year. But options are limited when it comes to lodging, so many of the visitors stay elsewhere, often spending their money on shopping and restaurants closer to where they stay.

“I think this study is a great idea,” said Estacada City Council member Glen James, who has explored the possibility of rebuilding the former Hotel Estacada, once a destination place for Portlanders and other visitors. “I think it’s a necessity to get the study done. Whether we end up with a series of bed-and-breakfasts or a small hotel, I think it’s going to make a difference. We’ve got to have some place decent for people to stay if we are going to make it with our plans for tourism. Right now, the lodging options are pretty limited around here.”

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