The Selma Times-Journal

After three years of working to refashion a local business into a community resource for Selma, Ramada general manager Vinay Sharma is now ready to throw open the doors and invite the city in.

Sharma&8217;s company, MAA Hospitality, bought Ramada on West Highland Avenue three years ago, when it was a Holiday Inn. The place was struggling in terms of business, but Sharma saw potential in the franchise, if certain changes were made.

The first thing Sharma worked to do was change the name from Holiday Inn to Ramada. Sharma said with Holiday Inn, he had to pay higher franchise fees and operating expenses, that in turn raised prices for customers.

Sharma said he felt that what Ramada offered was more in keeping with what suited the local market.

After buying the franchise, Sharma&8217;s company invested approximately $650,000 in Ramada&8217;s rooms and grounds.

Among the hotel&8217;s physical improvements are new carpet and curtains, televisions, pillows, mattresses, an improved banquet hall, new pool umbrellas, and massaging showerheads in the bathrooms.