CITY BEAT
Tacoma, Wash.
Open for Business
Washington state’s “City of Destiny” takes its place on the industry mantle next month with the opening of the $121.7 million Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. The 76,000-square-foot facility features a 13,650-square-foot ballroom and 12 meeting rooms. In March 2005, a 152-room Courtyard by Marriott will open next door to the center. Also new to the city: the Tacoma Art Museum and the mesmerizing Museum of Glass.
Palm Springs, Calif.
Desert Blossom
Construction continues on a $33 million project to add 117,000 square feet of space to the Palm Springs Convention Center. When work is completed next September, the 261,000-square-foot facility will feature a 94,000-square-foot exhibit hall and a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. Other highlights: a new lobby, high-speed Internet service, two outdoor function areas, a 12-bay loading dock and 21 meeting rooms.
CA, San Diego
Last month the 257-room San Diego Hilton/Del Mar completed $6
million in renovations, updating its guest rooms, the lobby and
meeting space to reflect the influence of the nearby Del Mar Horse
Racetrack.
FL, Key West
The 311-room Wyndham Casa Marina Resort and its sister
property one block down the beach, the 150-room Wyndham Reach
Resort, completed a $1.5 million renovation this month. Both
properties refurbished their guest rooms.
FL, Miami
The 692-room Doral Golf Resort & Spa was purchased by Marriott
International last month and renamed the Doral Golf Resort &
Spa, A Marriott Resort. The property will undergo more than $40
million in renovations over the next three years, including adding
new meeting space to the current 90,000 square feet.
CROQUET, ANYONE? Metropolitan Detroit received a welcome
dose of luxury last month with the soft opening of the $48 million,
143-room boutique Royal Park Hotel in Rochester. The property
offers refined treats such as croquet and bocce courts, as well as
an extensive “pillow library,” for variety’s sake. For meeting
space, the property provides a generous 16,485 square feet. (248)
652-2600; www.royalparkhotel.net
IL, Chicago
The former Holiday Inn O’Hare International Hotel was
reflagged in August as the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare. To
celebrate the change, the 503-room property already has begun a
comprehensive renovation, set to wrap in mid-2005. Plans call for a
refurbishment of all 55,000 square feet of on-site meeting space,
including the 23,000-square-foot O’Hare International Ballroom.
OK, Tulsa
The 462-room Crowne PlazaTulsa opened in August, minutes from the
Tulsa Convention Center and Tulsa International Airport. With two
ballrooms that hold 1,200 and 1,400, respectively, and 10
additional meeting rooms, the property has a total of 38,000 square
feet of meeting space.
PA, King of Prussia
The former Holiday Inn King of Prussia has reopened as the Crowne
Plaza Valley Forge in this Philadelphia suburb. The 225-room
property has a new 125-seat amphitheater along with two refurbished
ballrooms, bringing total meeting space to 20,000 square feet.
TX, Horseshoe Bay
The 329-room Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott opens this month in the
Lone Star State’s famously green Hill Country. Spread out across 32
acres are four championship golf courses, five restaurants and 20
meeting rooms.
TX, San Antonio
Hyatt Regency San Antonio wrapped up renovations last month,
spending $16.6 million on a redesign of all 632 guest rooms along
with the lobby and corridors. Guest rooms also have been outfitted
with wireless high-speed Internet access.