University of Delaware becomes hotel entrepreneur: a public school invests in the hospitality...

The University of Delaware is soon to become the Latest school with a full-service hotel on campus. But unlike other colleges and universities, which typically Lease Land to an outside company to build and manage the facility, UD is playing the role of entrepreneur.

UD has invested $9 million to build its 126-room hotel, another $3 million has been put up by Shaner Hotel Group, State College, Pa. Together they have formed a for-profit company called Blue Hen Hotel LLC, which is named after the university's mascot. Blue Hen, in turn, struck up a franchise agreement with