CITY BEAT
Minneapolis
Cultural Coup
Since April 2005, five major cultural institutions have opened in new or renovated buildings, each with unique spaces available for special events, including the Jacques Herzog-designed Walker Arts Center, featuring a Wolfgang Puck restaurant; the Guthrie Theater, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. On the horizon: a new 214-room Westin and the 136-room Ivy Tower + Residence, a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel, both to open later this year.
Syracuse, N.Y.
HQ Hotel in the Works
After years of planning, the city finally has given the nod to a new convention center hotel. The 350-room Westin Syracuse Convention Center, to open in 2009, will feature 17,000 square feet of meeting space and will be connected by sky bridge to the Oncenter Complex, a 99,000-square foot convention center. The 250-room Doubletree Hotel Syracuse is wrapping up a multimillion-dollar makeover following conversion from a Wyndham.
AZ, Scottsdale
Hotel: Hotel Indigo
Scottsdale (formerly a Hampton Inn). Opened: early
January. Price tag: $17 million.
Rooms: 126. Meeting space: TBD.
Key features: renovation of guest rooms, meeting
and public spaces.
CA, Monterey
Hotel: Hyatt Regency
Mon-terey. Renovations completed: early February
2007. Price tag: $40 million.
Rooms: 575. Meeting space: 40,000
square feet. Key changes: renovation of the lobby
and the addition of a restaurant; a new spa opens by January
2008.
CO, Greenwood
Village
Hotel: Doubletree
Hotel Den-ver Tech (previously Hotel Denver Tech).
Rebranding: early spring. Rooms:
305. Meeting space: 18,000 square feet.
Key changes: renovation of guest rooms, exterior,
meeting and public spaces; new signature restaurant and fitness
center.
OAHU DEBUT.
The new Embassy Suites Hotel-Waikiki Beach Walk on Oahu,
Hawaii, opened in December 2006. Owned by Outrigger Enterprises
Group and operated by Hilton Hotels Corp., the all-suite resort
features two towers with a combined 421 rooms, 24-hour business and
fitness centers, an outdoor swimming pool with a waterfall, and
2,000 square feet of meeting space. (808) 921-2345; embassysuites.hilton.com
FL, Coral Gables
Hotel: Westin
Colonnade Cor-al Gables (previously an Omni Hotel).
Opened: Jan. 4. Price tag: $10
million. Rooms: 157. Meeting
space: 23,000 square feet. Key features:
renovated
guest rooms, meeting and public space; up-graded fitness center;
new Cuban restaurant.
FL, Orlando
Hotel: Orlando Airport
Mar-riott Hotel. Renovations completed:
mid-January. Price tag: $12.5 million.
Rooms: 486. Meeting space:
approximately 29,500 square feet.
Key changes: addition of ballroom and a makeover of guest
rooms, concierge rooms, lounge, ballrooms, fitness center and
lobby.
IA, Des Moines
Hotel: Des Moines
Marriott Downtown. Renovations to be completed:
early 2007. Price tag: $7 million.
Rooms: 417. Meeting space: 25,000
square feet. Key changes: Phase One, to be
finished next month, includes upgrading the guest rooms, meeting
space, foyer and fitness area.
MO, Branson
Hotel: Hilton
Promenade at Branson Landing. Opening: Feb. 14.
Rooms: 243. Meeting space: 2,000
square feet. Key features: indoor pool and fitness
center, 32-inch flat-panel TVs, Wi-Fi access.
OR, Portland
Hotel: Hotel Monaco
Portland (previously 5th Avenue Suites Hotel). Renovations
to be completed: March 8. Price tag: $4-6
million. Rooms: 221. Meeting
space: 6,000 square feet. Key changes:
upgraded lobby and guest rooms, which will have flat-screen plasma
TVs.