That's just the beginning, with seven franchise deals signed and"a significant number in the pipeline," Alan Tallis, La Quinta'sexecutive vice president and chief development officer, tellsGlobeSt.com. He predicts 75 franchise contracts will be signed inthe next year and 150 new hotels up and running in the next threeyears.

The franchisees will be using La Quinta's makeover for new hotelprojects nationwide, delivering new markets to the Dallas-basedhotelier. Renowned hotel architect Renee Gauche of Maryland hascompleted two designs and has a smaller version still on thedrawing boards. The completed designs are tailored to structureswith at least 100 rooms, featuring residential-style architectureand decor inherent to regions in which they are located. Amenitiesinclude fitness rooms, guest laundries and business centers.

The prototype complements existing hotel brands, La Quinta Innsand La Quinta Inn & Suites, and is designed for parcels between2.3 and 2.4 acres. The La Quinta Inn model will cost in the mid- tohigh $40s per room to construct while the Suites design will costin the mid-$50 per room range to build, Tallis tells GlobeSt.com.The per room construction costs do not include land prices.