Now glowing: Albuquerque,
N.M., is two-thirds into a
10-year makeover.
Whether catching up or casting
ahead, cities of all sizes across the country are
undergoing an urban renaissance, pouring billions of dollars into
massive downtown projects that promise to make them more appealing,
right from the core. According to Rick Hughes, president of the
Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, “If you look at
a map and throw a dart, you’re likely to hit a place that’s
revitalizing downtown.” Below are several bull’s-eyes.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Downtown Albuquerque has received $450
million in public and private investments through year seven of a
10-year revitalization program. But even after the program comes to
its conclusion, there still will be work to do, according to Luisa
Casso, former president of Albuquerque’s Downtown Action Team, a
private nonprofit organization in charge of the project.
“Revitalization cannot happen overnight -- it takes decades,” says
Casso.
As the city develops, the DAT also
recognizes the importance of maintaining the authentic Southwestern
culture and charm of Albuquerque. “As we grow, we want to make sure
that we don’t become an Anywhere, USA -- that the eclectic
architecture and the local boutiques remain at the core of our
city,” explains Casso. Much of Albuquerque’s historic core is
centered in its vibrant arts community. The city’s Central Arts
District, anchored by the newly refurbished “pueblo deco”-style,
650-seat KiMo Theatre, has evolved into a mecca for artists,
studios, galleries and art organizations. Also an entertainment
hub, the district offers a rich new blend of shopping, dining and
nightlife destinations.
As for downtown properties, the
295-room Doubletree Hotel, which is connected to the Albuquerque
Convention Center, will finish $7 million in renovations this
spring, including the addition of 1,500 square feet of meeting
space, for a total of 8,000 square feet.
Perhaps the largest addition to the
downtown area will be a new multipurpose arena that will seat
anywhere from 10,000 to 19,000 people and likely include a hotel
and retail space. Currently, city officials are discussing three
alternative proposals from developers, and no opening date has been
set.
Detroit
Known as much for crime and
dilapidation as for its storied automotive history, Detroit is in
the midst of an ambitious attempt to spruce up its image. To
chaperone its transformation, the city turned to sports. Over the
last few years, Detroit has hosted a bevy of major athletic events,
including the Ryder Cup, the MLB All-Star Game and Super Bowl
XL.
Meanwhile, Motor City is spending
billions on its downtown, with more than 1,650 hotel rooms
currently under construction. Of note:
* The historic Book-Cadillac Hotel,
which closed in the mid-’80s, is being converted into a 455-room
Westin and is expected to open in summer 2008, following a $180
million renovation. The property’s fabled Grand and Italian Garden
ballrooms will be restored, and a new 11,000-square-foot ballroom
will be added, giving the hotel a total of 39,000 square feet of
event space.
* The Hotel Pontchartrain, now
undergoing a $14 million upgrade that includes all 367 guest rooms
and a new walkway to the Cobo Center, is converting into a Sheraton
this May and will feature 16,000 square feet of meeting space.
* Three newly expanded casinos are
coming, with the MGM Grand expecting to open its new facilities
this year and the Motor City Casino and Greektown Casino to debut
in 2008. All three will include 400-room hotels with 100,000 square
feet of gaming space. As for meeting space, the Greektown Casino
will have approximately 25,000 square feet, the MGM Grand 30,000
square feet and Motor City 67,000 square feet.
One of the biggest downtown
developments is the $500 million Detroit International Riverfront
project, which already is well underway. This year, a network of
paths is scheduled for construction along the river. In addition to
Tri-Centennial Park, which opened in 2004, two new urban parks are
expected, which will complete a three-mile network of greenery that
stretches from the MacArther Bridge to Joe Louis Arena. A new
harbor for cruise ships and pleasure boats also is in the
works.
Detroit’s downtown initiative, first
and foremost, is an attempt to make the city competitive for the
21st century. Christopher Baum, senior vice president of sales and
marketing at the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau,
believes the city has many distinct advantages over its Midwest
competitors. It is affordable, centrally located, has outstanding
air access and, with three new and improved casinos on the way, has
growing appeal as a gaming destination.
Spending spree:
A $12.2 billion project
is reshaping downtown L.A.
Los Angeles
Due to the size of L.A.’s sprawling
downtown district, it isn’t surprising that a full revitalization
effort requires a hefty rolling up of sleeves. What is surprising
is just how much money investors have pumped into the area. Katie
Callahan-Giobbi, former senior vice president of sales for LA Inc.,
The Convention and Visitors Bureau, and newly appointed executive
vice president, MPI Foundation and strategic partnerships, for
Dallas-based Meeting Professionals International, believes the
scope and sheer amount of money -- some $12.2 billion -- going into
the downtown area puts the city’s efforts into a category all their
own.
So where is the money going? Two large
projects are now under way at the opposite ends of downtown.
Springing up next to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the south
is the L.A. Live project, to materialize largely in 2009 and 2010.
The plan is turn a sprawling parking lot into a new entertainment
district that will be the “Times Square of the West,” according to
Callahan-Giobbi. It will include an 876-room JW Marriott and, in
the floors above that, a 124-room boutique Ritz-Carlton, both set
to open in 2010. Dozens of restaurants and clubs, a new Grammy
Museum and a 7,200-seat Nokia Theater, set to open this fall, also
are in the works.
Moving north toward City Hall is the
Grand Avenue project, which still has several hurdles to cross
before shovels hit the dirt. The project likely will include
several shopping arcades, a 16-acre park and lots of nightlife
options, in addition to a boutique hotel.
In still more downtown hotel activity,
the trendy 170-room Gansevoort West is expected to open in late
2007, while the 1,354-room Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites,
900-room Wilshire Grand Los Angeles, 485-room Sheraton Los Angeles,
469-room Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, 453-room Omni Los Angeles
Hotel at California Plaza, 434-room New Otani Hotel & Garden
and 188-room Hilton Checkers Los Angeles have either finished or
are currently undergoing renovations.
Tall order:
Union Station guards
the growing skyline
of Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City, Mo.
Unlike many of the other urban
up-and-comers, Kansas City already is in the homestretch, with
completion of several projects expected later this year. According
to Rick Hughes, president of the Kansas City Convention &
Visitors Association, “Through city cooperation with a number of
partners, we were able to secure a 14-block area, which gave us a
huge clean slate that afforded several unique opportunities.”
Indeed, among a roster of $4.5 billion
worth of improvements is the creation of a new commercial downtown
area. The Power and Light District, set for completion by year’s
end, will feature more than 3 million square feet of entertainment,
retail, residential and office space, with lots of outdoor dining,
nightlife and a 300-seat performance stage.
Also opening this year is the new
46,450-square-foot Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention
Center, which will hold up to 4,650 people theater-style or 3,000
for meal functions. The $135 million space was designed for LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and
will include a system that allows for natural day lighting.
Another cornerstone of Kansas City’s
revitalization is the $276 million Sprint Center. Opening in the
fall, the 18,500-seat arena will play host to Kansas City
basketball, hockey, concerts and special events. Connected to the
Sprint Center via walkway will be an entertainment venue known as
the College Basketball Experience, which will feature the National
Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Coming in 2009 is the $326 million
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a 1,800-seat theater that
will host performances of the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City
Ballet, the Lyric Opera and other cultural organizations.
As for hotels, more than half of the
city’s 3,800 guest rooms completed renovations over the past year.
New and improved properties include the 983-room Kansas City
Marriott Downtown, 731-room Hyatt Regency Crown Center and 213-room
Hilton President Kansas City.
New Orleans
Massive new projects are not the major
focus here -- New Orleans is more concerned with a return to some
semblance of normalcy following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005,
and some progress has been made.
Most of the downtown hotels and other
large venues were forced to renovate, giving them a crisp new feel.
The vast majority of properties currently are open for business,
including the Chateau Sonesta and Royal Sonesta hotels, a newly
constructed Harrah’s property, the Hilton Riverside, several
Marriott properties, the Monteleone, the Omni Royal, the Pere
Marquette and Renaissance Arts hotels, a Ritz-Carlton, a Sheraton,
two W and two Wyndham hotels (including a new property in 2006).
Meanwhile, the Louisiana Superdome welcomed back a sellout crowd
last September, and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center opened
its revamped facilities in November after a $60 million renovation
that included new flooring, furnishings, chairs and carpeting. Even
Mardi Gras is back, with more than 700,000 revelers having enjoyed
the party in 2006.
On the drawing board are plans for a
new Hyatt Jazz District -- a 20-acre performance arts park near
City Hall, the centerpiece being a National Jazz Center that will
house the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra as well as performance space,
studios, classrooms, a library and offices.
The city also is in the process of
redeveloping a 17-block section along Canal Street by adding new
sidewalks, trees and other improvements, set for completion this
July. The goal is to make the strip, between the Mississippi River
and Claiborne Avenue, a viable shopping and dining district.
Ahead of the curve:
Downtown St. Louis
is improving its hotel stock.
St. Louis
This historic city edged out its
in-state rival, Kansas City, for the 2006 World Leadership Award
for urban renewal from the nonprofit World Leadership Forum. The
victory reflects the $3.3 billion St. Louis has invested in
residential developments, sports, entertainment, hotels and public
improvements. In fact, the total financial commitment is expected
to climb to $5 billion, according to Kathleen Ratcliffe, president
of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, who adds,
“By 2009, the city will barely be recognizable.”
Ratcliffe might be forgiven for a touch
of hyperbole, as the idea behind many of the plans here is to blend
the old with the new. Much of the city’s classic architecture,
including many buildings more than a century old, is being
preserved and repurposed for new projects.
This is certainly the case in the $290
million Bottle District, set to open this fall next to the St.
Louis Convention Center with plenty of new restaurants, retail and
entertainment. Another large development, the $650 million Ballpark
Village, is being built and will be anchored by Busch Stadium III,
the new home of the St. Louis Cardinals that opened last April.
Features include the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum and a
new aquarium. Finally, Pinnacle Entertainment is building a $430
million casino resort called Lumiere Place at Laclede’s Landing,
near the famed Gateway Arch. The resort will feature a
90,000-square-foot casino, a 200-room luxury hotel, a spa, a
business center, restaurants, and 12,000 square feet of meeting and
convention space. Pinnacle broke ground on the facility in
September 2005 and expects a grand opening by the end of this
year.
The downtown area also has had a flurry
of hotel activity. Newly improved properties include the 780-room
Millennium Hotel St. Louis, 675-room Hilton St. Louis at the
Ballpark, 454-room Crowne Plaza St. Louis Downtown and 195-room
Hilton St. Louis Downtown.