Alabama
- Westin Hotel Birmingham will open in January 2013 with 294 rooms, 7,000 square feet of event space and 2,500 square feet of prefunction space. The hotel will be connected to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. For more information, call 205.307.3600 or visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
- In March 2013, the new DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Montgomery Downtown will add 140 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting space within walking distance of downtown and the Montgomery Convention Center. For more information, call 334.264.2231 or visit www.doubletree.com.
- Orange Beach’s Island House Hotel is expanding its meeting space in spring 2013, unveiling a new facility that will accommodate groups up to 250. All guest rooms face the Gulf of Mexico and have private balconies, and a variety of group golf packages are available. For more information, call 800.264.2624 or visit www.islandhousehotel.com.
Florida
- Villas of Grand Cypress began a four-month, $14 million renovation that includes interior upgrades, updated in-room technology and a new fitness center. The 146-room property’s executive meeting center can accommodate groups as large as 240 people. The renovation is scheduled for completion in February 2013. For more information, call 407.239.4700 or visit www.grandcypress.com.
- The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach concluded a $10-million renovation and redesign of its 375 guest rooms. The property has 10 meeting rooms, a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, a 16,000-square-foot spa and four dining venues, including the oceanfront DiLido Beach Club. For more information, call 786.276.4000 or visit www.ritzcarlton/southbeach.
- Aloft Miami Doral and Aloft Miami Brickell are scheduled to open in February and March, respectively. For more information, visit www.alofthotels.com.
Mississippi
- A 119-room Hilton Garden Inn is under construction on a 10-acre property in Pascagoula. Construction is planned to take approximately 14 months, and the hotel is expected to offer 6,000 square feet of conference facilities. For more information, visit www.hiltongardeninn.com.
North Carolina
- Located less than 10 miles from Piedmont Triad International Airport, the new Hampton Inn & Suites Greensboro/Coliseum Area offers groups 109 guest rooms and a 750-square-foot meeting room. For more information, call 336.553.1818 or visit www.hamptoninn.com.
Tennessee
- Construction topped out at the new Embassy Suites Knoxville West, which is slated to open in summer 2013. The hotel will offer 140 suites and 9,000 square feet of function space. For more information, call 865.246.2309 or visit www.embassysuites.com.
Texas
- The new JW Marriott Austin broke ground in October. The hotel will open in 2015 with more than 1,000 guest rooms and 110,500 square feet of meeting and exhibit space including 38 function rooms and a 30,000-square-foot ballroom. For more information, visit www.jwmarriottaustin.com.
- A former 184-suite Embassy Suites in El Paso rebranded as the El Paso Suites Hotel. Managed by Windsor Management Services, the hotel offers a total of 6,500 square feet of meeting space. For more information, call 925.779.6222 or visit www.elpasosuiteshotel.com.