1939 Seven Southern motel owners create Quality Courts, an informal group of motels that set quality standards with respect to physical facilities and operating practices. Quality Courts published the names of properties complying with the standards and referred business to each other, thereby increasing profits for all. 1940 The average hotel industry room rate is $3.21.1941 Members formally found Quality Courts United, Inc., an association that would be comprised of independent owners, and set the criteria of membership, creating the country's first hotel chain.1950 The average hotel industry room rate is $5.91. Quality Courts membership doubles to 126 members.Early 1950s Quality Courts becomes the first to offer to the industry such innovations as wall-to-wall carpeting, daily change of