City unveils new hotel sketches
01.05.2007, 10:11
Indianapolis - The city is a big step closer to building the largest hotel in the state. Developers released new plans for the 29-story, 1,000-room JW Marriott hotel. It will be a major change for the city's skyline.
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Come 2010, people attending conventions will have an extra 1600 hotel rooms to choose from. This news comes as developers unveiled plans for the new convention center hotel complex to go up at West and Washington Streets.
At the heart of it will be a 1,000-room JW Marriott with luxury condos on top, along with a Fairfield Inn, Spring Hill Suites and Courtyard by Marriott plus three restaurants, a spa and connector to the convention center.
"I venture to say with the investment we're seeing today we can't be called a second-tier city any more," said Tamara Zahn, Indianapolis Downtown Inc.
White Lodging and REI real estate, chosen last fall to build the hotel, agreed to make some changes after city officials called their initial design uninspiring. As for the updated version?
"I see it as an exciting design and attractive building," said Bob Bedell, Indiana Convention and Visitors Association.
But more importantly, he says the new hotel will be able to accommodate the needs of an expanded convention center. Besides the hotels, plans call for an underground parking garage and 110,000 square feet of event space including a 45,000-square-foot ballroom.
"That ballroom will be a third larger than the Sagamore here in the convention center, which is the largest in the state," said Bruce White, White Lodging Services.
The city will provide more than $48 million in subsidies to make it happen and developer do face a tight deadline. The hotel needs to open in time for the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2010.
"I think the deadline is tight, but the reason we were selected is because our team has the ability to finance and build in a way that's efficient and quick," said Bedell.