Just a few steps outside of Silverwood Theme Park in North Idaho, construction crews are building 18 luxury cabins — the second phase of a $13.5 million development that aims to bring higher-end lodging to an area long dominated by recreational vehicle parks and roadside inns. 

The project, dubbed BumbleBee Travel Center, is the vision of Coeur d’Alene developer Kelvin Shin, whose development company ID Pur-Pose LLC is turning 10 acres of undeveloped land into a “miniature city,” complete with water and sewer systems, he says.

The first phase of the development was completed in the spring and includes an 8,300-square-foot convenience store, a 76-brand gas station, and the shell of a restaurant that is yet to be leased, anchored at 6067 E. Bunco Road, in Athol, south of U.S. 95 and Silverwood.

The luxury cabins are located on the same 5 1/2-acre property as the gas station, and are expected to open by June 2026.

Shin, 62, says he already has plans to build an additional 25 cabins starting in 2027, to be located on an abutting five-acre parcel to the east of the site. An estimated cost for the third phase of development has not yet been determined, he says.

The development is a long-held dream that was inspired after Shin noticed a lack of lodging along U.S. 95 between Sandpoint, Idaho, and Coeur d’Alene. There are hundreds of spots for families to park a recreational vehicle surrounding Silverwood, he notes, but nothing that feels modern and more accommodating than what an RV park can offer.

“We are more like an anchor into Silverwood Theme Park rather than away from it,” Shin says, adding that the development includes a paved path for guests to walk to the park’s entrance within a few minutes from their cabin. Gary Norton, the founder and owner of Silverwood, and his son, Paul, have expressed support of the development, Shin says.

Spokane-based Baker Construction & Development Inc. and Hayden-based Buddy’s Backhoe Service Inc. are the contractors on the project, and Post Falls-based ML Architect & Associates Inc. is the designer, says Shin. Industrial pumping equipment and services are being provided by Roosevelt, Washington-based Pacific NW Pump & Process Inc.

The 18 individual cabins each will feature 16-foot-high ceilings and 544 square feet of space, with an additional loft space connected by a spiral staircase that overlooks a living room, adding approximately 200 square feet, Shin says. Each cabin will have a private driveway, a covered patio, and a picnic table. The units will provide more privacy compared to a hotel with shared walls and floors, he adds.

“Over here, you have privacy, your own backyard, your own driveway,” Shin says. “(Guests) could have their own gathering and roast marshmallows.”

The BumbleBee development has been in the works since 2017, Shin says.

The land was previously undeveloped and lacking essential infrastructure such as water and sewer, he says. After two years of working to rezone the site for development, he commenced work on building out the site’s infrastructure.

“It was raw land,” Shin says. “If you think of all the infrastructure, having our own 70,000-gallon fire suppression system because we are in the middle of nowhere, this is like building a miniature city. Everything has to be self-contained.”

The name for the development has a special meaning to Shin and his family. His sister, who lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, operates a business dubbed BumbleBee Tea. The idea comes from a life lesson that Shin’s father gave him while growing up in South Korea 56 years ago, he says. His father told him a story that described three types of life: the life of a spider is selfish, the life of an ant is hard working, and the life of a bumblebee is hardworking and contributes to society, helping others to grow and blossom.

“At the end of the day, I think it matters what you contribute,” says Shin, who dedicates the project to his father’s memory.