Santa Rosa's Flamingo hotel gets new managing owners, plans for renovations

A Santa Rosa hotel that shares an architect with the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas have new managing owners, who've announced plans to renovate the 6-decade-old resort.

Serious Leisure, a firm that operates five restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, announced Monday that it and San Francisco-based Yang Capital have acquired managing interest in the historic Flamingo Hotel in Santa Rosa. The investment amounts weren't disclosed.

Serious Leisure was co-founded by Anderson Pugash and Benson Wang. Together, according to the announcement from the firm, they own and operate Bergerac, Palm House, The Dorian, Crossroads Nightlife and Fifty Fifty Cocktail Co.

Serious Leisure and hotel-management firm Point Hospitality Group, also based in San Francisco, plan to jointly manage the 9.5-acre, 170-room property. Serious Leisure will manage the food and beverage program.

Point Hospitality will operate the guest rooms, event center and health club. The Flamingo Hotel will be the fifth it operates and its second boutique property in Santa Rosa, after The Sandman.

The planned renovation is part of a "repositioning" of The Flamingo, "a, according to Serious Leisure.

"The Flamingo was built in 1957 and has long been a cornerstone of the Santa Rosa community," it said in the announcement. "The team plans to honor its history and sense of community through a thoughtful restoration and renovation of the property.'

The planned renovation includes an update of the rooms, event spaces and common areas plus a change in the food and beverage program to be announced later this year.

The hotel was designed by architect George Bernard Russell, the same architect as the original Las Vegas Flamingo. It became known for its oversized pool and courtyard.

The property has been in the Ehret family for over 40 years, and Pierre Ehret will retain a majority interest in the property, according to Serious Leisure.

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