Motel owner is Business Person of the Year

by John Dowd

Since last year, the City Center Motel in downtown Hamilton has done a lot to promote the community and to become a part of it. The owners have also improved their location significantly. All this work was finally recognized, when Mary Casper, one of the owners of the motel, was recently recognized by the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce as the Business Person of the Year.

For Casper, it has been a team effort. She and her husband, Greg Povenski, along with the staff of the motel, have worked hard to make the space a premier hotel to visit in the area. When asked about her reaction to the news that she was being awarded, she humbly said, “I was just so touched.”

“It’s been amazing to be so well received by the town business community,” many of whom she said she looks up to, said Casper. She is active in the community, as both president of the Hamilton Downtown Foundation and a member of the Chamber. She said it has been a joy to be a part of those groups, saying, “I really believe in those organizations and what they are doing for the local community.”

The City Center Motel was bought and reopened by Casper and Povenski in 2023. Since the beginning, they fell in love with the area, and have tried to do a lot to include other businesses in what they do, from special deals for their customers to shop at other businesses, to information on various travel and business highlights in the area. 

Some programs they started last year they are still passionate about, which were highlighted in an article published in the Star in 2024. The owners are also working to bring more business to others in the area. One example they gave was Juniper Juicing, and how they now serve on Sundays, receiving a lot of the patronage from the hotel. The couple has also met with many other businesses in Hamilton, brainstorming ways to bring them more customers and to support tourism and purchasing locally. 

One of the ways they are doing this is with special shopping bags and a list of businesses that are participating in a community initiative. Guests are asked to visit other local businesses, and the ones that are on the list will give them special deals or gifts if they mention where they are staying. For Casper, “the more of those experiences they have,” the more they understand what Hamilton is.

Along with that, the motel also does a guest giveback program, which allows them to give up to $3 more on their bill, which is then donated back to a local non-profit annually. Every dollar raised is then matched by the owners. 

According to Povenski, “Mary is incredibly good with her long term vision.” He spoke on how things have been coming together well. For him, it has been extremely important to keep the local values. He said what has been most rewarding to see is local people putting up their own visiting family at the City Center Motel. For him, that says they are doing something right. He said the community is the whole reason they are there, and they do not want to change a thing. “We love it and we want people to love it.”

Povenski is proud of their customer base, and the community they work with. “It’s not just about a motel, it’s part of downtown.”

Both Casper and Povenski talked about how the community has been so supportive of the project. Casper described how often she will hear things like, “Thank you for not tearing it down, thank you for investing in it,” and more.

Now, the City Center Motel has been able to finish work on several spaces that were under construction last year. They have finished their lobby, which looks out over Hamilton’s Main Street through a big window. This spot is often one of the first points of contact with a customer, and can make a huge difference in the customer’s impression of the place. Because of this, they went all out.

Casper described their motel, saying, “This is a downtown boutique, high-touch experience.” 

“Boutique” was the operative word, as they have done four full room re-models. These remodels include a boutique rustic charm that Casper said gives them a unique feel. They also believe that atmosphere is meant to maintain the feeling of being in the area and the “spirit of what it means to live in Hamilton.” She said “boutique” means unique, and not a cookie cutter thing a person can find in many other places that claim to be “boutique.” Just like the unique place that is Hamilton.

The motel team also cleaned up all the original spaces and rooms to bring them up to a high quality. They have a few rooms with more space, and a semi-kitchen area. These are for larger families, or longer stays. Casper said these are perfect for people such as those coming to work temporarily at the Lab, who may need more elbow room for their lengthier stay. 

Some landscaping out front was also finished, providing a community outdoor seating area on the property. Finally, they also added digital locks on all the doors.

 As for the “high-touch” part, guests can control the level of interactions, able to show up communicating just through email or text, or they can stop into the lobby in the traditional motel style. The choice is up to the customer, but the motel really shines when they receive the full “high-touch” experience. Customers can ask them to help pick out places to go, things to do or even make their dinner reservations. The motel staff works to help customers at every step of the way, and for Casper, that is really what their mission is about. Casper said they want their motel to really be a “personalized guest experience.” 

The goal of their efforts, and the results, have obviously been noticed. For Casper, that is more than they ever asked for, and she wanted to thank her entire team for making that a reality.