Chamber Inspiration Luncheon featuring Ruby's Inn General Manager Lance Syrett

This month's inspiration luncheon speaker is Lance Syrett.  Lance is the current General Manager at historic Ruby's Inn at Bryce Canyon City & the Bryce View Lodge and the new Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel.  His remarks will include the story of Ruby’s Inn, how it’s survived for so many years (including during the government shutdown in 2013 and our most recent recession), what lessons he has learned, both good and bad.

Ruby’s Inn is a fourth generation family owned business and will celebrate their Centennial in 2016.  Lance has been the General Manager since 2007.  He is a 2003 graduate of Southern Utah University with a bachelors in Economics and Finance.  Active in the industry, he currently serves on the Governor’s Tourism Development board, is a past president of the Utah Hotel and Lodging Association, and is the Chairman of the Garfield County Office of Tourism Advisory Board.  He currently lives in Tropic with his wife and four kids.     

History of Ruby's Inn
 
In 1916, Reuben C. (Ruby) Syrett brought his family to the wilds of Southern Utah, establishing a ranch near the present site of Ruby’s Inn. A few weeks after his arrival, another nearby rancher told Ruby of the canyon called Bryce. Ruby and his family made a Sunday visit to the canyon rim. They were so impressed by what they saw that they not only took full advantage to tell people of the canyon’s beauties, but they also became hosts to its visitors. By 1919 they had obtained permission from the state to build a lodge, the “Tourist Rest”, near the brink of the canyon.

In 1923, when Bryce Canyon became a National Monument, Ruby moved his “Tourist Rest”, to the location of his ranch and named it Ruby’s Inn. The Post Office established services at the inn and still serves the area throughout the year.

Ruby’s reputation grew as the National Monument grew to a National Park, and soon Ruby’s Inn became a large business operation. What started with tent houses and a place to serve meals, paved the way for the modern facilities which today serve the tourists at Bryce Canyon, providing all the traveler needs to make a stay in the Bryce Canyon area a trip to remember.

Enthusiasm and love for the Bryce area carried over to Ruby’s son Carl. Today the same western hospitality and friendly service is carried on by Carl’s children and grandchildren, who cheerfully welcome you to Ruby’s Inn.