Ground broken on Hampton Inn & Suites project

"A lot of history here," he said. "A lot of nostalgia."

Smillie was manager at the Madonna Inn and then the Holiday Inn for 20 years, retiring just before the property became the Clarion Inn five years ago.

Les Kinseth, president of Kinseth Hospitality, introduced Smillie and another manager, Brandy Smith Branstad, who is still with the company, as he touched on the history of the hotels and the 83-room hotel planned for the site.

"The original hotel was built in 1964," he said. "We bought the property in 1989 and made it a Holiday Inn with a Holidome in 1990." It has been a Clarion Inn since 2010.

"People ask us why we are tearing it down. It's just time for something new," he said. "Out with the old, in with the new."

Plans call for a hotel, a Caribou Coffee outlet which could be open by the end of the year, another tenant yet to be identified and condominium housing.

"The Hampton Inn is the No. 1 brand in the world in its segment," said Kinseth. "We are very excited about it."

Bruce Kinseth, executive vice president, and Gary Kinseth, vice president of Kinseth Hospitality, also were on hand.

Guest speakers included Mayor Eric Bookmeyer, who said, "To see a repurpose of this scale is just tremendous."

Chamber of Commerce President Bob Klocke thanked the company for its confidence in Mason City "to help things keep rolling."

Sue Armour, executive director of Visit Mason City, said the project will "help tell the wonderful Mason City story."

Kinseth Hospitality began in 1963 when Ken and Cyrena Kinseth bought the Cliff House, a small hotel in Decorah. They expanded it into a 108-room hotel and restaurant before selling it in 1977.

They purchased a Best Western hotel in Council Bluffs and then another Best Western in Clear Lake. Kinseth Hospitality has become a family business with the original owners' four children, Les, Gary, Bruce and Linda, all involved.