“It’s the little things that make the big things possible. Only close attention to the fine details of any operation makes the operation first class.” – J. Willard Marriott
Sometime during the month of March 2010, the state of the art Spring Hill Suites by Marriott will open for business in Pigeon Forge. This unique property will feature 112 spacious suites, indoor and outdoor pools, 37” high definition flat screen televisions, hospitality lounge areas and 1700 square feet of meeting space. The M. Gibson Hotel Group is building and will manage this one of
a kind “Mountain Modern” designed facility.
Michael Gibson was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and was attending Arkansas State University during the Viet Nam War when in 1967 his draft number came up. After serving in the Navy for 3 years, Gibson entered Memphis State University , ultimately earning a degree in business administration in 1972. For the next several years, Michael honed his food & beverage skills by opening restaurants for Dobbs House’s upscale theme restaurant division.
Then, in 1978 he went to work for the corporate offices of Holiday Inn in the department of food & beverage concept development. There he managed 7 concept specialists with interests in 168 hotels. This was a very important time in Gibson’s career, because through in-depth discussion, ideation and goal setting, he learned to create an overall vision for relevant food and beverage operations, while producing comprehensive business plans that were used to secure financing and serve as the initial roadmap for the model’s launch.
After serving as a district director for food and beverage operations for Holiday Inn Inc. and vice president of operations for the Carlisle Hospitality Group, Gibson came to Knoxville and became the general manager of the Holiday Inn World’s Fair in 1986. He would perform in that capacity for the next 15 years. But, having his own company was always part of his plans.
The M. Gibson Hotel Group was founded in 1998 with the opening of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Alcoa. Based in Knoxville , his company now owns and operates 4 Holiday Inn, 4 Hilton, 1 Choice and 6 Marriott properties that span from Evansville , Indiana to Myrtle Beach , South Carolina .
M. Gibson Hotel Group arrived in Sevier County with the opening of the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Sevierville Kodak, the 91 room platinum award winning property that I manage at Exit 407. Last April, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites opened near by. The Spring Hill Suites by Marriott in Pigeon Forge will be the hotelier’s 3rd endeavor in the Smoky Mountains .
In addition to his participation as chairman of the Tennessee Hotel & Lodging Association and Chairman of Tennessee Tourism Roundtable, he is associated with numerous organizations in all marketing, education and communication related areas in the hospitality industry. M. Gibson Hotel Group is a licensed franchisee with Marriott International, Inc.; Hilton Hotels Corp.; InterContinental Hotels Group, and Choice Hotels.
Michael Gibson’s unique perspective from being an owner/operator, as well as a corporate executive has created a hospitality group that effectively addresses the needs of his ownership groups. His experience, temperament and sense of community will make him and his properties good Sevier County neighbors for years to come.
The new Spring Hill Suites by Marriott is located at 120 Christmas Tree Lane in Pigeon Forge. If you have any questions concerning the property, or are interested in doing business with M. Gibson Hotel Group, you can call 865-539-0588.
Henry Piarrot is the general manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites Sevierville Kodak. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarrot@yahoo.com
“History makes you clairvoyant.” – Piarrot
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