Posted: 7/3/07
Purchase of AmericInn of Caledonia finalized June 29
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The AmericInn Lodge and Suites of Caledonia is under new ownership. Vinod (Vinnie) Patel, a businessman from Chicago, and Caledonia Lodging LLC came to terms Friday, June 29 and Patel took over ownership as of July 1.
Patel, who was born in India, has lived in the United States for the past 25 years, and has been in the wholesale and retail liquor business in Chicago since 1982. He and his wife Saki have two children- Ruttu, who will be a freshman at Truman State College in Missouri, and Uday, who will be a freshman at Caledonia Area High School this fall.
Patel explained he wanted to get out of the rat-race of the city, and also out of the retail liquor business. He spent a year traveling around the United States looking at different lodging establishments. But he decided he would rather be located somewhere in the Upper Midwest and traveled from Fargo, ND to northern Michigan before finally deciding on southeast Minnesota.
"I knew I had found what I was looking for when I came to Caledonia," Patel said Monday morning. "Everything matched what I wanted. This is a wonderful facility, located in a beautiful area. I am very pleased with this," he said looking around his newly-acquired business.
Patel said he did considerable research on various hotel chains, and decided AmericInn, based in Chanhassen, would be the best property to purchase.
"ëAmericInn is a good chain, a good business property to own. I wanted to move to a smaller town. This is much better than a big city," Patel added.
AmericInn of Caledonia employs about 20 people. Patel plans to retain the staff, "but I will be managing the business. We have a great staff here. Iím looking forward to working with them and getting to know the community."
The Patels plan to purchase a home in Caledonia.
AmericInn of Caledonia opened for business in November 1999. An investment group, made up of 12 area businessmen, formed Caledonia Lodging LLC, built the facility, and have owned it for the past seven and one half years.
Caledonia Argus
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