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The former Red Lion Inn, the hotel at the Port of Astoria recently abandoned by its parent company, is courting two potential suitors. 

One is a partnership of the Portland-based Williams/Dame & Associates Inc. and Escape Lodging from Cannon Beach.

The other, Hospitality Masters, is a group from Astoria.

The Port terminated its relationship with Red Lion in September 2010 and put out a request for proposals on the hotel, due by Jan. 20. The original hotel, The Thunderbird Inn, opened in the mid-1960s.

At their special meeting Tuesday, Port commissioners listened to both presentations about the future of the former Red Lion Inn, and debated their design,debated the impact on surrounding industrial land and financial feasibility.

Willams/Dame, in partnership with Escape Lodging, proposed a new four-story, 84-room hotel at the southwestern corner of the existing building. It would be based on a Fairfield Inn & Suites design and run as a Marriott franchise. Surrounding the hotel would be boardwalk areas skirting the marina and parts of the Port.

"It really helps to establish the goal of a vibrant waterfront community," said John Olivier, vice president of the company. "It really creates an active use of the property. You're bringing people to the waterfront."

Commissioner Bill Hunsinger questioned the feasibility of placing a hotel in such close interaction with Port operations, log trucks and other industrial noise.

"You're taking on an enormous amount of traffic," said Hunsinger. "You couldn't get any closer to this industrial area. They're not always looking for the boy running out of the motel parking lot."

He added that the noise of log trucks rolling in and out of Westerlund Log Handlers as early as 6 a.m. to as late as 9 p.m. during the summer might not suit visitors.

"I was hoping this would be over by the bridge," said Commissioner Dan Hess.

Executive Director Jack Crider said that the Port has gone over the traffic concerns with the hoteliers.

"We're tourism-based," said Patrick Nofield of Escape Lodging, which would operate the hotel. "That's what we know. We know how to build sustainable, long-term business."

Escape Lodging operates several vacation destinations in Cannon Beach, including the Ocean Lodge, Inn at Cannon Beach, The Lodges at Cannon Beach, Lighthouse Inn and the Driftwood Restaurant & Lounge. Williams/Dame has worked on numerous apartment and hotel properties throughout Portland,

Recreating Americana

The other hotelier group, Hospitality Masters, presented its idea to refurbish and open The Astoria Riverwalk Inn. Managers would initially remodel up to about 50 rooms out of the existing 120 in the former Red Lion Inn, designing them based on the 1960s architecture of the Motor Lodge Inn. They would create rooms with multiple bunk and twin beds to sleep families, as a more economical offering.

Operators want to operate the existing hotel for at least 10 years, possibly building a new location when the hospitality market in Astoria will support it.

"We have an opportunity to take this hotel and turn it into an Americana hotel," said Brad Smithart, co-founder of Hospitality Masters. ‘With a slight tweak to the interior, we could make it that."

More importantly for the Port's financial side, they would hold a "soft" opening April 1 and a grand opening June 1, more immediately bringing in revenue from the now vacant building.

"I really enjoy your ideas," said Hunsinger. "You're going to the families. Red Lion had a great reputation."

Hunsinger wondered whether refurbishing the hotel would include opening the Thunderbird/Ocean Shores restaurant, known as a popular Astoria club and a filming location for "Kindergarten Cop."

Smithart and Seth Davis, the other cofounder of Hospitality Masters, added that they'd focus on local contractors to do the work, which they estimated would cost $50,000 to open up 50 rooms.

"I see the need that it needs to be occupied quickly," said Commissioner Floyd Holcom. "You say $50,000 to bring it up to par. I see a quarter million."

Davis said they've gone through all the rooms and can open the first 50 at a minimal cost for the first tourist season. They'd reinvest that money into opening more rooms in the hotel for next year.

Hunsinger asked whether employees at the inn would receive enough wages to support a family.

"I want none of my employees to qualify for food stamps," said Davis, adding that he would pay weekly bonuses based on job performance.

Commissioners and Port staff will hold further interviews with both groups, weighing the pros and cons of operating the existing hotel for more immediate gains or moving forward with a brand new location.

This story originally appeared in Daily Astorian.