Florida
To help celebrate its 70-year history, Fontainebleau Miami Beach announced that its new Coastal Convention Center will open in Q4 2024. Connected to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach by a pedestrian bridge, the convention center will span five stories and 45,000 square feet.
Standout features will include a grand staircase that pays homage to Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s “Stairway to Nowhere,” floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor and street-level meeting space, LED walls and wayfinders and a 7,000-square-foot flexible Tides Rooftop Terrace with scenic ocean views.
The convention center will feature a 16,500-square-foot ballroom with an outdoor terrace, 9,500-square-foot junior ballroom, 15 meeting rooms and a 15,000-square-foot prefunction space. It is also being constructed to meet sustainability and LEED certification standards. Initiatives include using insulated glass to control internal temperatures and reduce energy use as well as a rainwater collection and recycling system to increase water efficiency.
[Related: The Latest Developments in South Florida Locales Miami and Fort Lauderdale (2024)]
Georgia
Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park announced the completion of a comprehensive renovation and rebranding. The renovations include a complete refurbishment of 600 rooms housed within the North Tower of the hotel and the introduction of a collection of signature suites including the Georgia Aquarium Suite, College Football Hall of Fame Suite and the Coca-Cola Suite.
The 1,067-room hotel is also directly connected to the Georgia World Congress Center, State Farm Arena and Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, giving it a total of 120,000 square feet of corporate event space spanning 45 event venues. The largest of these venues is the 19,864-square-foot Grand Ballroom, able to accommodate up to 2,212 attendees in its largest configuration. Other featured event spaces include the 14,000-square-foot International Ballroom, accommodating up to 1,580 attendees, and the 10,000-square-foot Atrium Terrace, able to accommodate up to 1,000 attendees.
Texas
Located near downtown San Antonio and some of the city’s top attractions, the Hilton San Antonio Hill Country announced the completion of its renovation project. The hotel features an expansive garden courtyard with individual fire pits, three onsite dining outlets, a seasonal outdoor pool bar, a 24-hour fitness center and multiple heated outdoor pools.
In addition to guest rooms, the renovation included updates to public spaces, outlets, exterior pool/courtyard areas and meeting spaces. The 227-room hotel offers more than 12,500 square feet of meeting space, the largest of which is the 4,290-square-foot Oaks Ballroom, able to accommodate up to 425 attendees in its largest configuration. The renovation also added energy-efficient lighting throughout the property, further reducing its environmental footprint while enhancing the guest experience.
[Related: Hilton San Antonio Hill Country Wraps Renovation]
Situated on 400 acres of prime Las Colinas real estate and only 20 minutes from the heart of downtown Dallas, The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas completed a $55 million property-wide renovation, including updates to its spa and salon, resort pool and meeting and event spaces. The resort is located next to the Nelson Sports & Golf Club, offering over 176,000 square feet of designated wellness space, including a well-equipped gym with indoor and outdoor running tracks, spin room, basketball, racquetball and squash courts, antigravity aerial yoga and group fitness activities.
The resort’s newly renovated 80,000 square feet of meeting and event space is spread across 32 event venues, including one ballroom, six breakout spaces, four outdoor venues and a 39,000-square-foot conference center able to accommodate up to 1,500 attendees. The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas also offers the latest audiovisual capabilities, event equipment and event production services.
A Killer Event Activity
Located just 20 minutes from downtown San Antonio, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa unveiled an interactive murder mystery event activity for groups. The resort has partnered with Baker Street Mystery, a local San Antonio entertainment company, to create the teambuilding experience for groups coming to San Antonio.
[Related: Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort Completes $50 Million Renovation to Guest Rooms and Meeting Spaces]
When groups book the murder mystery event, planners can work with the resort team and Baker Street Mystery to determine a theme for the event (such as the Roaring ‘20s, Wild West or a custom theme). There will also be prizes awarded to the person with the best themed costume, the best attendee actor and the person who correctly solves the mystery. The events can host up to 100 attendees, although organizers say most groups choose to split into two separate parties once they get to be around 75.
The resort recently underwent a $50 million renovation to its guest rooms and meeting spaces, including the Fredericksburg Ballroom and all indoor breakout rooms. The 502-room resort has over 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, the largest of which is the 20,000-square-foot Independence Ballroom able to accommodate up to 1,200 attendees.
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