IRVING, Tex.
Irving’s Las Colinas Urban Center is being transformed with the addition of a dining and entertainment development and a convention center hotel.
The Music Factory, an all-in-one dining and entertainment destination, is under construction with an anticipated opening in 2017. The Pavilion, an 8,000-seat, indoor-outdoor amphitheater, will be operated by Live Nation. The project also features a 50,000-square-foot plaza with a stage that will host fashion shows, farmers markets, food festivals and other events throughout the year. The project will feature 250,000 square feet of entertainment, retail and restaurant space, including a movie theater, comedy club and several restaurant options.
In 2019, the opening of a $110 million convention center hotel will mark the completion of the district. Last fall, the City of Irving announced that the hotel will fly the Westin flag. The proposed 12-story hotel will offer 350 guest rooms and 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. will operate the hotel.
“We know the group market’s preference—and oftentimes, its requirement—for an adjacent headquarter hotel, and it has remained a priority for us,” said Maura Allen Gast, executive director of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau. “News of Westin as the flag and Starwood as its operator was well received by our customers.”
“The hotel represents the final piece to Irving’s vision for a distinctive visitor district,” she continued. “The Irving Convention Center was the initial anchor, the Irving Music Factory with its Live Nation amphitheater and collection of restaurants is the second piece, and the headquarter hotel is the third. This easily accessed, pedestrian-friendly 40-acre district will provide a wide range of entertainment and dining options to fill free nights on the convention schedule, as well as to provide an excellent venue for opening or closing night events.”
The Westin hotel’s architecture will complement the Irving Convention Center, a structure that has won numerous awards for its architectural uniqueness. The city plans to build a second parking garage to accommodate hotel and convention center business as part of this project.
Another integral part of the master landscape in Las Colinas is the Water Street development, located along the shores of Lake Carolyn. Currently under construction with 20,000 square feet of retail and restaurant spaces along with two residential buildings with 316 residential units and 40,000 square feet of stand-alone retail and restaurant building space will finish out the design.
Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas
Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas recently completed the highly anticipated redesign and renovation of level one of the 34,000-square-foot conference center. The new space was design by Richmond International and now includes new stone flooring throughout the common areas, custom designed carpet, feature wall coverings and pendant lighting, with a luxurious colour palette of slate greys, neutrals and accents of sage. Tasteful furnishings will complement the design, as well as offer up more communal gathering spaces throughout the entire lower level.
The addition of the new the Lantana Room and deck, a 4,400-square-foot space, boasts a floor-to-ceiling window wall of natural light, can be divided into two equal sections and will accommodate up to 400 guests. The outdoor deck will be accentuated with seasonal landscaping to add to the ambiance of the space. Additionally, the Pecos Room will offer more than 600 square feet of new breakout space in the heart of the conference center.
“Group business in North Texas couldn’t be healthier, and with the extensive renovation and new room additions, we are excited to offer a more comprehensive list of venue options for our guests to fulfil their event needs,” says Dirk Burghartz, general manager of Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. “We’ll continue to provide impeccable service with attention to every detail and look forward to enhancing our clients' experiences with an amazing new product.”
