Monday, July 25, 2016
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Pacific Northwest’s Division II athletic conference and one of the Northwest’s best known hotel brands are joining forces again.
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Red Lion Hotels have announced an extension of their corporate partnership agreement, extending a partnership that began in 2012. Red Lion Hotels will receive extensive visibility on the GNAC website and at GNAC championships throughout the year. In addition, Red Lion Hotels will continue to be the title sponsor of the GNAC’s “Team of the Week” program, which recognizes high-performing conference reams throughout the academic year.
“Red Lion Hotels has been a longstanding partner of the conference and we’re excited it will continue to recognize our outstanding student-athletes through its ‘Team of the Week’ sponsorship,” said GNAC commissioner Dave Haglund. “We share much of the same footprint and we sincerely appreciate Red Lion’s support of the conference and our student-athletes.”
In addition to the partnership, the Red Lion Olympia will serve as the headquarters hotel for the GNAC Basketball Championships in March and the GNAC Softball Championships in May, both of which will be hosted by Saint Martin’s University.
“Red Lion has been a long supporter of the GNAC and is happy about our renewal as the official hospitality sponsor,” said Sharon Andrade, Red Lion’s vice president for national sales. “It is a great way for our hotels to support local universities in our communities. Red Lion Hotels cater well to athletic teams as they travel and compete across the country. We are especially happy to have a new Red Lion Hotel opening in Billings, Montana, located close to GNAC member Montana State Billings.”
About The GNAC: Founded in 2001 and based in Portland, Ore., the Great Northwest Athletic Conference is comprised of 11 full-member schools in five Western states and one Canadian province. Over its 15 years, the GNAC has experienced an unparalleled level of success with over 90 teams advancing to NCAA Division II national competition. In 2015-16, four GNAC teams reached the national semifinals with one, the women’s basketball program at Alaska Anchorage, advancing to the national championship game.
Full members of the GNAC include the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Central Washington University (Ellensburg), Concordia University (Ore.), Montana State University Billings, Northwest Nazarene University (Nampa, Idaho), Saint Martin’s University (Lacey, Wash.), Seattle Pacific University, Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, B.C.), Western Oregon University (Monmouth) and Western Washington University (Bellingham). Affiliate members in football include Azusa Pacific University (Calif.), and Humboldt State University (Arcata, Calif.).
About Red Lion Hotels: Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC) operates hotel properties nationwide under the Red Lion Hotels, Hotel RL, GuestHouse International and Settle Inn brands. A well-known Northwest brand since 1959, Red Lion Hotels operate in 11 states and one Canadian province, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia properties in GNAC Country. Red Lion’s parent company, Red Lion Hotels Corporation, began as the Goodale & Barbieri Companies in 1937, entered the hotel and hospitality business in 1976 and acquired Red Lion Hotels in 2001. In 2005, the parent company changed its name to Red Lion Hotels International to reflect the revitalization of the Red Lion brand. In 2015, RLHC purchased the GuestHouse International and Settle Inn brands of hotels. In addition to hotels, RLHC operates the computerized event ticketing company TicketsWest.