Since the last Criterion story on the Maverick Teaching Hotel on which Colorado Mesa University approved to spend $15 million, there has been progression. The CMU Board of Trustees officially approved moving forward on the project at their meeting May 24.

CMU has selected an architect, a contractor and a third-party management partner, that will be running the day-to-day tasks. There will also be help from CMU students and faculty. 

“Work is already being done to prepare the site for the construction project and we will “officially” break ground on the project this Fall,” Vice President of Intergovernmental & Community Affairs Derek Wagner said. 

CMU is working internally and with their management team to select the best name for the hotel.

“The day-to-day operations of the hotel will be managed by Mars Hospitality through a contractual relationship with CMU,” Wagner said. “This project is going to be a great example of how CMU thinks creatively to provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for our students.  This entire facility will really be one big classroom and I know our faculty and students are eager to begin learning in this unique setting as soon as it opens in the Spring of 2020.”