Aug. 7, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by The Ramkota Companies.

At nearly 40 years old, the Ramkota Hotel in Pierre has been updated several times through the years but never as broadly as the multimillion-dollar upgrade that just got underway.

“I think it’s the first time for a renovation of this extent, with everything being improved in one large project,” said Tom Morris, executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Ramkota Companies.

“We kicked off the work in July and will basically touch every corner of the building.”

“It’s wonderful,” said Debi Kessler, who has been general manager of the Ramkota since 2019 and is district manager over ClubHouse Hotel & Suites.

“We’re very excited about it. It’s a great opportunity for the hotel and for the community.”

The hotel already has received a new roof, HVAC improvements and a fresh coat of exterior paint.

“And now, it’s time to make our interior space look beautiful, so we’re looking forward to it,” Kessler said. “We’re starting on the guest rooms, and then we’ll be doing the rest of the hotel throughout the end of the year.”

The 151-room hotel will work through about two dozen guest rooms at a time, with improvements lasting about three weeks for each set.

“It’s going to be huge for us because we’re basically redoing those rooms from floor to ceiling,” Kessler said.

“We’re doing new carpet and paint, getting rid of the popcorn ceilings, upgrading the lighting and adding modules and floating tables that allow an area for a refrigerator, microwave and extended desk. We are also upgrading our mattresses and bedding. Everything will be new.”

Some poolside rooms are being converted to family suites.

“We have a lot of birthday parties and events that happen around the pool area, so we’re adding rooms with king beds that adjoin to a double to make them more family-friendly,” she said.

The hotel also offers three two-story executive lofts.

“The living spaces in those rooms will get completely redone. We are adding some nice amenities to those rooms as they are often used for entertaining,” Kessler said.

Full-service hotels are a rarity, she added. The Ramkota is back to serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from its full-service River Run restaurant, which also will get a face-lift.

The attached convention center also is a key draw for visitor business, hosting everything from statewide meetings to social events. The center will receive new carpet and vinyl in addition to audio-visual technology upgrades, recognizing that the way people meet and hold events is changing.

“Pierre has a lot of pride in the property and the convention center,” Morris said. “The Pierre Economic Development Corp. owns the convention center, and we have an agreement to operate it, and within that we cover all maintenance and improvements, so it’s a win-win.”

Ramkota has been a key partner in the hotel since it opened in 1987 under the ownership of Pierre Parkside Development, a limited partnership that included The Ramkota Companies as the general partner. The property became part of Regency Midwest Ventures in 2008. Recently, the Ramkota and its sister property in Pierre, the ClubHouse Hotel & Suites, became wholly owned by the Ramkota ESOP, or employee stock ownership program.

“It’s always been in the Ramkota family, but now because it’s owned by the ESOP, our team is going to share in the success,” Morris said. “We have a lot of longevity on our team, which is great, and we’re happy to provide that benefit to our long-term, loyal employees.”

Participating in the ESOP is a significant benefit for the team, Kessler agreed.

“It’s a great bonus for my employees,” she said. “It’s a strong selling point – that you have an investment in the company you work for. We currently are seeing great, quality candidates, and I’m hoping the ESOP will continue to help with hiring and retention.”

The ESOP includes both Pierre hotels as well as three hotels in Sioux Falls: Ramkota, ClubHouse and AeroStay.

The Pierre ClubHouse also recently underwent a refresh of all guest rooms, including new carpet, window treatments and lighted mirrors. The lobby, breakfast area and presidential suite were renovated as well.

“It turned out very well,” Morris said. “The refresh has been well received, with a lot of great comments from longtime customers who really like it.”

The two properties are able to work seamlessly to accommodate guests between them, Kessler added.

“They’re a more upscale, executive hotel, and we’re very family-friendly but also host a lot of conferences. It’s amazing because if someone is wanting a different experience it’s easy to refer them between the two,” she said.

The Ramkota Hotel will remain open and operational throughout the renovations, which will be moving quick.

“It’s an aggressive schedule, but we’re jumping right into it, and our plan is to have all the renovations completed before the end of the year, so it will be finished in time for the 2025 legislative session,” Morris said.

In the meantime, fishing groups are making their regular visits to the property, and hunters won’t be far behind.

“We have many groups that have been staying with us for generations,” Kessler said. “We draw people from all over the country, and we’re just super-excited now with everything going on. I can’t say enough about Ramkota Companies in the sense that we’re just thrilled to be a part of it and ready to go to the next level.”

To book your next stay or event at the Ramkota in Pierre, click here, or to visit the ClubHouse Hotel & Suites, click here.