Meeting Recap - Nov 3, 2008 by Stephen Heath

Last Meeting...

How did Sacramento's newest luxury hotel get its name? The owners received so much pre-construction input on the project from local citizens that Citizen Hotel "just made sense."

That's how Chip Conley, author, entrepreneur and president of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, selected the name for his firm's new boutique hotel at 10th & J Streets.

Conley, a Stanford graduate recently named the Bay Area's "Most Innovative CEO" by the San Francisco Business Times, was Rotary Club of Sacramento's guest speaker Nov. 3.

Introduced by Rotarian Peter Dannenfelser, Conley said that he received 140 emails about the project and that more than 80 people turned out for a pre-project Town Hall meeting.

"The process of getting input was like running for office," said Conley, who offered strong praise for Mayor Heather Fargo for her assistance in moving the project ahead.

The latest addition to the 40-property Joie de Vivre chain, the Citizen Hotel will open on Nov. 30, as will the Grange Restaurant and Scandals Lounge-also located in the building.

"If you drive by the building, it looks like there is still a lot to do-and there is," said Conley. "But we built it from the top down and the first floor is the last thing we need to finish.

"The upper floors are all finished, furnished and ready to go," added Conley, whose chain recently remodeled and reopened Ventana Resort on the Central Coast.

Citizen Hotel will occupy the 14-story building originally constructed in 1925 as the headquarters for California Western States Life Insurance Company.

"It is one of the 'big four' historic high-rise buildings in Sacramento," said Conley. "For awhile we were looking at the Elk's Temple, but we just couldn't make it work.

"We're really excited about this location. It is a 'main and main' location with a park across the street and a great view of the Capitol. The building just looks like a grand hotel."

Conley said that Joie de Vivre selected Sacramento because "it was the only major West Coast city without a true luxury hotel downtown."

Acknowledging the Hyatt and Sheraton might dispute that, Conley said, "They're fine hotels, but they're chain hotels. The Citizen will be an original; a reflection of the community."

As proof of that, Conley revealed that hotel and lounge dcor will include collections of Bee political cartoons by Rex Babin and the late Newton Pratt.

Rooms in the hotel, which had to be seismically retrofitted with help from the City, will go for $120-$170 a night on weekend and $175 to $400 on weekdays.

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The late Gordon King, a long-time Rotarian, was eulogized by Kelly Reynolds and Robyn DeLong. King's widow, Corky, and several other family members were in attendance.

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Elfrena Foord reported that the 2007 Bids for Kids proceeds, which went to Sierra Adoption Services, had helped place 20 foster kids in permanent homes.