Ehrlich leads investment group for hotel/conference center in Greeley

GREELEY — A group of prominent Greeley business leaders is investing in a planned hotel and conference center on city-owned property downtown.

The group is headed by Scott Ehrlich, a longtime auto dealer in Greeley, and includes longtime downtown property owner Bob Tointon and Greeley’s Richardson family.

One source also mentioned the potential involvement of brothers Dick Monfort and Charlie Monfort, owners of the Colorado Rockies and who have had a positive impact on Greeley through their philanthropic foundation and the family beef business they ran in Greeley before selling to ConAgra Inc. Dick Monfort could not be reached for comment.

Ehrlich said the investment group has been negotiating to bring a Hilton brand hotel to land adjacent to Lincoln Park.

“We’re looking at a 150-room hotel that will be nicer than any hotel in Greeley,” Ehrlich said, adding that the conference center would be 14,000 square feet.

Ehrlich and Arlo Richardson, whose family recently sold Mineral Resources Inc., an oil-and-gas company based in Greeley, formed Lincoln Park Hotel LLC late last year, according to documents filed with the Colorado secretary of state.

Ehrlich said the LLC was formed as a place for the investment group to put money that is being used for project planning expenses.

Tointon, chairman of Greeley’s Downtown Development Authority, is a downtown Greeley property owner and former chief executive of Greeley-based Hensel Phelps Construction Co. BizWest first reported in June 2015 that the city was negotiating with Hensel Phelps to build the hotel.

“It’s not a done deal, but equity is being raised, and the city is doing its part,” Tointon said. “Let’s say it’s very encouraging.”

Hensel Phelps has been working on design options and costs for the hotel and conference center while negotiating for the construction contract to build the project, which initially was estimated to cost about $20 million.

Greeley’s assistant city manager Becky Safarik said Wednesday that details still need to be worked out before a deal with Hensel Phelps can be approved and information on the project is finalized. She said the deal may be ready to go before Greeley’s City Council in March.

The city wants to redevelop about 80,000 square feet of land that it owns at 919 Seventh St. The area takes up the southern half of a city block between Ninth and 10th avenues.

The city has said it would like a hotel of approximately 150,000 square feet and 150 to 200 rooms with about 5,000 square feet of conference space that would include 2,000 square feet of breakout meeting space.

According to a study commissioned by the city, the area was deemed no longer essential for city use. The city is working on moving city offices and other lessees from the project area, adding to the complexity of finalizing a deal.

Collin Richardson, one of Arlo’s sons, in November formed RHI Lincoln Park Hotel LLC, but it is unclear how that entity is tied to the project or one of the Richardsons’ other numerous real estate holdings.

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