I had run the gamut of the hotel sales, marketing and management ladder while in Tucson years back. About five years had been wasted in the second oldest Ramada ever built at I-10 on the Freeway in downtown Tucson.
It was a dump. At the time, Ramada (not long for this world at the time) had dumped no money into it, choosing to favor the "flagship" twin on Thomas Avenue in Phoenix. I was left to work miracles in Tucson with the plasterboard palace. So, I did.
After 5 years, I got the message, left, and within Tucson, went on to much bigger things. About ten years later, I got a call from Ramada management in Phoenix wanting to meet with me at their hotel and have a TALK. So, I met over lunch with the current general manager and the current vice president.
At that stage of my life, I was much more grisly, street smart (well, kinda) and loaded for bear. In short, they offered me my old job back at a reasonable salary. I countered with one exception.
I wanted an employment contract. There had been 11 people in my old positions since I had left. I wanted assurances. A one year severance package in case we ' fell out of love ' with each other in a binding document run by my lawyers - and theirs.
No dice. I walked.
My mistake, I did NOT walk away from the business elsewhere. I did NOT change course in my career to other fields to make real money for myself. I continued in the hospitality business and made millions for convention hotels, resorts, etc, and did not have the sense to carve out a piece of the lucrative racket for me.
And, when I did - Radisson, they refused to give it to me.
That's why I no longer consider myself a hotelier.
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