PHILADELPHIA
- Unveiled in September following a $55 million transformation, Dilworth Park, at the foot of City Hall and steps from the convention center, is a versatile option for outdoor events, with an outdoor cafe, weekly programming and the wintertime Rothman Ice Rink.
- Construction began in July 2014 on the new $1.2 billion Comcast Innovation and Technology Center. Slated for completion by late 2017 or early 2018, the 59-story tower, seeking LEED Platinum certification, will house a 222-room Four Seasons hotel with world-class event and meeting facilities.
- In February 2014, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced plans to convert a historic courthouse building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway into a 199-room hotel, its third in the city. The $85 million project, slated to commence early this year for completion by 2016 or 2017, will offer 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
- Scheduled to open in downtown Philadelphia by early 2018, the 295-room W Philadelphia and 460-room Element Philadelphia, offering 36,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities, is the first-ever W and Element dual-branded hotel development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
- Following the recent renovation of its 581 guest rooms and the addition of more than 3,000 square feet of small meeting space, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, now offering more than 48,000 square feet of function space, debuted its new restaurant, Bank & Bourbon, in April 2014.
VALLEY FORGE & MONTGOMERY COUNTY
- Valley Forge Casino Resort unveiled a renovation and technology upgrade of its convention center in October. The $1 million project covers 55,000 square feet of convention space, adding a leading-edge audiovisual system with high-performance speakers and HD digital video displays; operable partitions; energy-efficient, programmable lighting; and redesigned ballrooms, meeting rooms, common spaces and restrooms.
- Opened in September, Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Lansdale offers 135 guest rooms and suites; nine meeting rooms, including the 200-person Forum Ballroom; and a 45-seat restaurant.
- Well-situated for group visits to the 100-plus retailers at the Montgomery Mall (itself preparing for a 2015 remodel), the 101-room Hampton Inn & Suites Philadelphia Montgomeryville opened last August, offering free in-room WiFi, a 24-hour business center and a boardroom for 12 people.