About Econo Lodge By Choice Hotels St. Pete Beach
Before Super 8, there was Econo Lodge. Based in the United State and Canada, this economy motel chain brand is the second largest brand under the Choice Hotels group. Created to provide the finest accommodations under the budget-friendly category by Vernon Myers and his son Vernon Jr, Econo Travel now Econo Lodge materialized with funding and marketing help from Lloyd Tarbutton, a local businessman.
Interestingly, business started with Sandy Econo, the hotel’s “mascot” dressed in a Scottish skirt and tam walking around the neighborhood giving away brochures. However, the hotel chain was sold in 1983 for $836 million, all 306 hotels and adapted the name Econo Lodge instead of Econo Travel. The brand was sold and bought several times before Paul Wallace bought the brand and refurbished it and eventually sold it to Choice Hotels International in 1990.
Eventually, this hotel concept located in 865 Military Highway grew from one location to 800 hotels under the Econo Lodge brand today. Initially, there were 40 rooms in each property located near highways and roads. Expansion continues and by 2013, there were around 830 Econo Lodge hotels open and operating in the United States with 28 more under development. Every state in the U.S. and the Canadian province has an Econo Lodge in it.
