Florida
Marriott’s Courtyard Miami Beach Oceanfront announced plans for a new 93-room tower on Collins Avenue. Scheduled to open this fall, the tower will add 2,200 square feet iof meeting space to the property’s existing 3,000 square feet.
The 510-room Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach outside Jacksonville is undergoing a renovation, slated to be unveiled in December with updated meeting spaces and restaurants. Sawgrass offers 56,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 5,100-square-foot Island Green Pavilion, which was previously updated.
Hilton Orlando broke ground on a 2-acre outdoor event site. The project is planned to wrap-up by this fall, offering planners more than 50,000 square feet of new event space adjacent to the hotel’s ballroom. The $2.1 million space, called The Promenade, will be able accommodate up to 3,000 guests. The 1,417-room hotel will offer 225,000 square feet of function space and connects to the Orange County.
Georgia
Mill Town Music Hall & Events Center opened in Bremen, an hour west of Atlanta, in 2012 and hosted more than 40 shows and 25,000 visitors last year. The venue is repositioning itself as an energetic venue for private events and corporate receptions, in additions to concerts. The hall seats more than 1,000 people and plans are in development for the Harold Shed Music Mill Gallery to open this year, a new venue celebrating Georgia’s music history.
Louisiana
Coming in 2014, the Le Meridien New Orleans will debut near the French Quarter following a $29 million renovation. The property will offer 410 guest rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of function space. Chesapeake Lodging Trust plans to begin construction in April 2014 and complete it by the end of the same year. The hotel previously operated as a W Hotel.
North Carolina
The 297-room Crowne Plaza Charlotte Executive Park Hotel is now open, with 15,000 square feet of meeting space. All guest rooms and common areas at the former Marriott property will be renovated.
Texas
Royal Sonesta Houston began a $25 million renovation. The Uptown hotel offers 485 guest rooms and 50,000 square feet of function space, which will be refreshed during the project. Meeting space upgrades will include new technology and enhancements to reception spaces and breakout rooms. Existing amenities, such as the fitness center and rooftop pool, will also be updated.