Gil Belisle owns the property along with investors Cecilia and John Faber, Ezekiel Velasquez, Lois Highsmith and Egbert Higinio. "We are very interested in marketing Belize's rain forests and ancient ruins to the traveling public and providing city officials and visiting business people with an excellent place to stay," Belisle says.

Wingate is planning on further expansion in Belize, according to company president Keith Pierce. "We are very proud to be opening our first hotel in Belmopan, a thriving business environment ideal for the Wingate Inn brand, and look forward to additional opportunities for expansion in this beautiful region," he says. "As a popular destination for scuba diving and fishing, Belize is also a hot spot for tourists and therefore an ideal location for development."

There currently are 121 Wingate Inn hotels representing 11,368 guest rooms open in the United States and Canada.