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Site Scene

Florida
  • Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville Baymeadows opened in October. The Jacksonville-based hotel features 80 guest rooms. Rooms come equipped with 32-inch LCD televisions and complimentary high-speed Internet access. The hotel also offers 1,500 square feet of meeting space and an outdoor pool. For more information, call 904.562.4920 or visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Louisiana
  • The Roosevelt Hotel is reopening in New Orleans as part of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection Hotel group. The historic downtown New Orleans property, shuttered since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, originally opened in 1893 as the Grunewald. In 1923, it was rebranded as The Roosevelt in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt and retained its distinctive moniker until the hotel changed hands in 1965 and was renamed The Fairmont. The grand hotel will reopen in late spring 2009 with 505 rooms, of which 125 will be luxury suites, some named for celebrities who once visited the hotel. The hotel will include 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the 20,000-square-foot Roosevelt Ballroom and the 7,000-square foot Waldorf=Astoria Ballroom, along with a total of 22 distinctive meeting and event rooms. Other amenities include a 12,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, private dining and suite butler service. The cost of the renovation is expected to exceed $135 million, making the project one of the largest private investments in downtown New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. Key among plans to restore the property to its previous grandeur and appeal will be the reopening of the hotel’s famed Blue Room, which played host to names like Louis Armstrong and Tony Bennett, and the legendary Sazerac Bar. Formore information, call 212.661.9600 or visit www.theroosevelthotel.com.

Oklahoma
  • The Tulsa Convention Center recently broke ground on a 30,000-square-foot ballroom. This Vision 2025 project will be the largest ballroom in Oklahoma. The Tulsa Vision Builders have begun demolishing the flat parking lot north of the convention center—the location for the ballroom. The new ballroom will offer 13,625 square feet of pre-function space with high ceilings and room for receptions, registration or breaks. For easy access, the ballroom will have a corridor connecting it to the rest of the Tulsa Convention Center. This extensive renovation will include seven additional meetings rooms located adjacent to the ballroom. The entire project adds 52,200 square feet of rentable space. The Tulsa Convention Center will remain open with no disruptions to business during the renovations. The project is expected to be completed the first quarter of 2010. The center currently houses a 102,600-square-foot exhibit hall, 8,900-seat arena, 20,000-square-foot conference hall, 7,700-square-foot assembly hall with built-in stage and 16 additional meeting rooms. For more information, call 918.596.7177 or visit www.tulsaconvention.com.

  • John Q. Hammons’ 10-story, 283-suite Embassy Suites, Norman—Hotel & Conference Center debuted in October with $3 million in pre-opening sales. The hotel and the adjacent conference center combine to represent 80,000 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate groups up to 2,900. Each guest suite features two plasma televisions and high-speed Internet access. The hotel offers a fitness center, indoor pool, sundeck and upscale sports bar and grille serving lunch and dinner daily. For more information, call 405.364.8040 or visit http://embassysuites1.hilton.com.

Tennessee
  • The Holiday Inn Select Downtown Memphis recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation. The hotel is located steps away from historic Beale Street. The meeting and banquet space as well as all hotel corridors underwent significant improvements, while the guest rooms were also given a makeover. For more information, call 901.525.5491 or visit www.hisdowntownmemphis.com.


Texas
  • The aloft Las Colinas, near Dallas, opened in October with 136 loft-like rooms featuring nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows. Each guest room features a plug ‘n‘ play connectivity center that links to a 42-inch LCD television. The hotel offers a bar, communal lounge, fitness center and indoor/outdoorpool with backyard among other amenities. For more information, call 972.717.6100 or visit www.alofthotels.com.

  • The Hampton Inn & Suites in Mansfield-South debuted in September. The 88-room hotel offers complimentary high-speed Internet access in all rooms with wireless access in the lobby and meeting rooms. The hotel also features an outdoor pool and spa, as well as 1,500 square feet of meeting space with a boardroom and a fitness center. Situated between Dallas and Fort Worth, the hotel’s location offers more than 240 acres of parkland, several golf courses, a downtown area and a multitude of recreational opportunities. For more information, call 419.774.1010 or visit http://hamptoninn.hilton.com.

Virginia
  • Hyatt Arlington recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation to revitalize its entire property, including guest rooms, meeting space, food and beverage outlets, the building exterior and all public spaces. Hyatt Arlington’s 5,200 square feet of meeting space, including its private boardroom, Judiciary Hall, was renovated with the latest in business technology and personalized service. The renovation also increased the number of guest rooms from 304 to 317. All guest rooms boast 32-inch LCD flat-screen televisions with data connections and complimentary wireless high-speed Internet. The hotel also offers a new lounge, restaurant and fitness center available to guests. For more information, call 703.525.1234 or visit www.arlington.hyatt.com.