Chapter 36 Luxury Hotel Plan

"Why not?" Mu Xin retorted, "Hueston Woods State Park covers nearly 3,600 acres and has a 625-acre man-made lake."

"The beech-maple forest in the park is listed as a National Natural Landmark, and its ecological environment is among the best in all of Ohio."

"It's only five miles from Oxford Town, just a ten-minute drive."

"Besides, just think about it, Oxford Town itself has over 20,000 potential consumers."

"Where do Miami University students, teachers, and staff want to go to relax on the weekends?"

"The nearest decent resort is in Cincinnati, an hour's drive away."

"If we build a luxury resort hotel in Hueston Woods, with top-tier spas, restaurants, and outdoor activity facilities, do you think those people would come?"

Jessica opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Mu Xin didn't give her the chance.

"It's not just the people in Oxford Town," Mu Xin continued. "Cincinnati is a big city, less than an hour's drive away."

"Dayton is even closer, and Columbus isn't far either. Where do people in these cities want to go on the weekends?"

"They want to find a place with good scenery, fresh air, and where they can relax."

"Hueston Woods has a lake, forests, trails, and a golf course. The natural conditions are there; what's missing is a sufficiently good accommodation facility."

"I'll build one for them."

Jessica took a deep breath, her brain racing.

"How much will this cost?" she asked.

"I don't know," Mu Xin shook his head. "But Victoria will help me calculate it."

"Besides, I don't care about the cost."

"I only care about one thing: the timeline."

"I want the hotel completed before next summer."

"By this time next year, I want the students in Oxford Town to have places to work, to make them willing to stay."

Jessica looked into Mu Xin's eyes; those black eyes were burning with a nearly paranoid glow.

"What about me?" Jessica asked. "What do you need me to do?"

"Find out the ownership of Hueston Woods immediately, and figure out which government department we need to coordinate with," Mu Xin said.

"State parks are managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Building a hotel on this land isn't something you can just decide on a whim."

"Also, check if there are any environmental restrictions, building permits, or legal issues regarding land use rights."

"Understood." Jessica nodded and immediately took out her phone to start recording.

"One more thing," Mu Xin said. "I plan to have Robert Williams's construction company continue to be in charge of the project."

"He did a good job with the Water Plant renovation. Although it cost three times as much and took less than a month, both the quality and speed satisfied me."

"This project is much larger than the Water Plant renovation, but he has the experience now and knows how to work with me."

"I only have one requirement: the fastest speed and the best quality. Price is not an issue."

Jessica gave a wry smile. "Mr. Mu, you say 'price is not an issue' every time."

"But for this project, I estimate an investment of at least tens or hundreds of millions. Building a hotel isn't just renovating a few workshops and pipes."

"I know," Mu Xin's expression was calm. "That's why Victoria will be very busy."

"You're always spending money..." a voice suddenly came from the doorway.

The two turned to look. Victoria was standing at the doorway, wearing a white linen shirt and black wide-leg trousers, her long dark brown hair draped casually over her shoulders, holding a cup of black coffee in her hand.

Her eyes held a hint of helplessness and...

"I heard it just now in the hallway." Victoria walked in and placed the coffee cup in her hand on the table.

"Talking about spending tens of millions again. Mr. Mu, you really don't treat money as money."

"Money is meant to be spent," Mu Xin smiled. "Spending it in Oxford Town is where its value lies."

Victoria sighed, sat on the sofa, and crossed her legs.

"Tell me, what do you want me to do now?"

"From now on, you will also serve as my personal financial coordinator," Mu Xin said.

"The finances for the Water Plant have stabilized; Tobias can handle it alone. I need you to focus your energy on this project."

"Your salary will double starting now."

Victoria raised an eyebrow, a glint flashing in her light gray eyes.

"Double?" Her tone carried a hint of teasing. "Mr. Mu, are you trying to knock me out with money?"

"Is it working?" Mu Xin retorted.

Victoria looked at him for a few seconds, then laughed softly.

"Do you know what I hate the most?"

"What?"

"I hate those upstarts who throw money at people the most," Victoria said. "But you're different; you use money for legitimate purposes."

"So, I agree."

"But I have one request."

"Speak."

"If my grandmother needs me to take care of her, I will leave at any time. You cannot stop me."

"I won't stop you," Mu Xin nodded without hesitation. "Your grandmother's affairs are always the top priority."

Victoria looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

"Alright then, from now on, I am your personal financial advisor."

The three of them sat around Mu Xin's desk. Sunlight from outside the window filtered through the slits of the blinds, casting stripes of light and shadow on the floor.

Jessica opened her laptop, Victoria took out her calculator, and Mu Xin sat in the main seat, his fingers tapping lightly on the desktop.

"OK," Mu Xin's voice was calm and forceful. "Let's talk about this hotel plan from a strategic perspective."

"First, what is the goal?"

"It's not to make money," Mu Xin answered his own question. "It's to create job opportunities in Oxford Town."

Jessica recorded quickly, and Victoria pressed a few numbers on the calculator.

"Second, what is the positioning?"

"A luxury resort hotel," Mu Xin said. "Not a hostel for poor students, nor a three-star hotel for the middle class."

"What I want is a hotel that exceeds five-star standards, the kind of place that makes rich people in Cincinnati willing to drive an hour to spend the weekend."

"Third, who is the target audience?"

"Three groups," Mu Xin held up three fingers. "First, faculty, staff, and wealthy students of Miami University."

"You know, some of those CS professors even drive Ferraris to class."

"Second, middle- to high-income groups from surrounding cities like Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus."

"Third, tourists visiting Ohio from other places."

"Fourth, what is the operating model?"

"The hotel will be invested in and built by me; the ownership belongs to me, and the operating rights can be outsourced to a professional hotel management company."

"Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt—find one willing to hang a five-star brand sign in a state park."

"Of course, I wouldn't mind if management companies like Aman, Mandarin Oriental, or The Peninsula came over."

"The management company provides the staff, experience, and brand, and I provide the money and the land."

"Fifth, and most importantly, employment."

"After the hotel is built, it will need at least two hundred to three hundred employees, or even more."

"You know, the employee-to-guest ratio at Aman Tokyo is 7:1; I'm just stating a conservative number."

"Front desk, housekeeping, food and beverage, SPA, outdoor activity instructors, maintenance—there are all kinds of positions."

"Most of these positions don't require high academic qualifications or professional skills—the front desk can start working after a few weeks of training, and housekeeping can be learned on the spot."

"Who can these positions be offered to?"

Mu Xin continued to answer his own question: "The students of Miami University Oxford Campus."