Benchmark Builds US$43-Million Hotel

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 9/1/2000

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE Benchmark Hospitality, The Woodlands, Texas, announced a new development and management project, The Chattanoogan. The new 210,000-sq. ft. (19,510 sq. m) conference center and hotel will be located at the center of a burgeoning economic development zone in the city’s southside district.

The planned US$43 million property will offer 200 deluxe guestroom, 20 dedicated meeting rooms, a restaurant and banquet facilities, two private dining rooms, and an adjacent parking garage to accommodate more than 1,000 vehicles. Recreation and fitness facilities will include an indoor pool and fitness center along with several spa treatment rooms.

The property is being co-developed by Benchmark Hospitality and Hines Interests Limited Partnership for the City of Chattanooga. The Chattanoogan is expected to open in early 2001. The architect of record is Franklin Associates, Chattanooga, in collaboration with Rabun, Hogan, Ota and Rasche Architects, Atlanta. Interior design is by Looney & Associates, Dallas.

Sol Meliá Continues Expansion in Spain

CAMBRILS (TARRAGONA) SPAIN Sol Meliá will open its first hotel on Spain’s Costa Dorada in June 2001. The 4-star, 175-room hotel will be located alongside the Marina in Cambrils, near the Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park, which was home to more than 3 million visitors in 1999.

According to Sebastián Escarrer, vice chairman of Sol Meliá, “This will be Sol Meliá’s first hotel on the Costa Dorada and is a further sign of our focus on quality leisure tourism. Cambrils is also an excellent location in that it offers a wide range of additional facilities for other leisure activities, such as golf or water sports.” Sol Meliá will manage the property.

ASIA/PACIFIC

Hilton Xiamen, Xiamen, China; 375 rooms open early 2001; contact Hilton International.

Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai, China; 440 rooms to open in 2002; contact and management: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

CENTRAL/S. AMERICA

Hyatt Regency Panama City Hotel & Casino, Panama; 300 rooms open mid-2002; contact Hyatt International Hotels.

Meliá Confort, Guarulhos, Brazil; 300 rooms open 2002; contact Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts.

Meliá Confort Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil; 154 rooms open 2002; contact Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts.

Meliá Confort, Rio de Janeiro (located at airport) Brazil; 200 rooms to open late 2002; a joint venture between Sol Meliá and the Brazilian company Odebrecht; management and contact: Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts.

Quality Suites Water Plaza, Vila Velha, Brazil; 180 suites open late 2000 at a cost of US$11.7 million; contact Choice Atlantica Hotels.

EUROPE

Hilton Copenhagen Airport, Copenhagen, Denmark; 358 rooms open 2001; contact Hilton International Hotels.

Aparthotel Morgan Princess; Canary Islands, Spain; 400 rooms open late 2002 at a cost of US$25 million; architect is Antonio Baille, interior designer is Miguel Gonzalez and developer is J.C. Construcciones; contact and management: Princess Hotels.

Radisson SAS, Klaipeda, Lithuania; 75 rooms open early 2001; interior designer is Living Design, and the owner and developer is Baltic Realty & Hotel Invest, Norway; management and contact: Radisson SAS Hotels.

MIDDLE EAST

Crowne Plaza, Alexandria, Egypt; 175 rooms open late 2001; contact Bass Hotels & Resorts.

Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 242 rooms open early 2001; management and contact: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Steigenberger Dahab Resort, Dahab, Egypt; 213 rooms open late 2001; contact Steigenberger Hotels AG.

Three Corners Citadel Eco Club Resort, Sharm El Sheikh (Napq area); 136 rooms to open late 2000; 150 rooms open 2002 and 150 rooms open 2003; architect is Dr. Hasuna; management and contact: The Three Corners Co.

NORTH AMERICA

Hampton Inn, Ponte Verda, Florida; 188 rooms open 2001 at a cost of US$8.5 million and is a joint venture agreement with Marsh Landing Investment L.L.C; contact and management: Winston Hotels.

Ritz-Carlton Houston, Texas; 325 rooms open mid-2001; interior designer is Frank Nicholson, Acton, Massachusetts; contact The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C.

Springhill Suites by Marriott, Hawthorne, California; 164 suites open mid-2001 at a cost of US$8 million; construction company is R.D. Olson Construction, Irvine, California; a division of Marriott International will provide the architectural design; contact Marriott International.

Microtel Inn & Suites, Sterling, Virginia; 105 rooms to open in early 2001 at a cost of US$3 million; construction company is Konover Construction Corporation Mid-Atlantic, Columbia, Maryland, and the developer is Dolby Development Company, Fairfax, Virginia; contact U.S. Franchise Systems.