Home Green Design Entrepreneur Introduces Unique Funding Concept for Container Hotels

Entrepreneur Introduces Unique Funding Concept for Container Hotels

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Glenn Hasek

If you did a search on shipping container on Green Lodging News, it would turn up several pages of articles. In the coming week I will be adding yet another article. It is quite an interesting story, but Michigan developer, businessman and visionary Darius Smith just launched ASJ Homes. His company will break ground on the first shipping container home in the next two months. Now the really interesting (or confusing if you, like me, get confused by crypto currency) part: Smith is also introducing a new cryptocurrency called Container Tokens, which will be used to raise funds for a new chain of shipping container boutique micro hotels. Smith told me he will break ground on the first container hotel in Ann Arbor, Mich. by 2023. The hotels are expected to have from 30 to 50 rooms.

“The container home industry is projected to reach $73 billion by 2025, so we are very excited to enter this growing sector and make our mark with this new technology,” said Smith, who is the founder/CEO of ASJ Homes.

Now back to the hotel part and the Container Token. Smith told me his first shipping container hotel will be partially self-funded, but the sale of Container Tokens will also provide part of the funding. Those who purchase the Container Tokens will be able to use those later to book a room, suite or event space at each hotel and pay for food, drinks, and spa sessions. The pre-sale for the Container Tokens began on March 28.

Scale is Critical to Business Model’s Success

Smith wants to build as many container hotels as possible. Those buying Container Tokens will need different hotels to visit. He is targeting Michigan and Florida first.

“We’ve determined that cryptocurrency is a viable investment in the container hotel sector, so we’re excited that Container Tokens are the first of its kind. These utility tokens will promote a safe and smooth transaction between the investors and users of our container hotel ecosystem, and provide hotel guests with a state-of-the-art, trend-setting experience. We believe our hotels and Container Tokens will forever change construction, service and the crypto world,” Smith said.

The hotels will have a cool ambiance and feature event space, restaurants, outdoor shipping container pools and unique themed hot tub spas. Yes, that is right—you will be able to swim in a shipping container.

“Sometimes you have to be able to peek into the future and see where your company is going to go and opportunities where we can pioneer. One area we identified is the commercial side of the shipping container world and boutique micro hotels,” added Smith.

I will be writing an article about the hotels Smith intends to build in the coming week. Watch for it. The article will explain what Smith sees as the many environmental upsides to building hotels this way.

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