Extended Stay America intends to open at least
80 new-construction hotels during the next five years, CEO Gerry Lopez
announced. It's a marked change for the company, which hasn't added inventory in
almost a decade. All of the hotels will feature about 110 rooms, as well as an
open-concept lobby and customizable room-design features. ESA will own
and operate 35 of the hotels, while 45 will be franchised—a shift for the
company which until now has owned and operated all of its hotels. In a January
conversation with BTN, Lopez hinted
at the possibility of opening the company up to franchising as a way to promote
faster growth. The company's portfolio stands at 629 hotels after it booted 53
properties in 2015.