April 18, 2012 // Franchising.com // McLEAN, Va. – Embassy Suites Hotels, Chattanooga Hotel Property Investment and Legacy Property Group broke ground yesterday on Embassy Suites Chattanooga – Hamilton Place located at Shallowford Road and I-75. Scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2013, the hotel will be the sixth Embassy Suites in Tennessee and the first Embassy Suites in the state to feature the brand’s latest design concept, Design Option III. The full service, all-suites hotel will have 203 suites and 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Present at the groundbreaking were Ken and Byron DeFoor from ownership group Chattanooga Hotel Property Investment and key stakeholders from developers Legacy Property Group, management company Legacy Hotel Partners and Hilton Worldwide. Also there to commemorate the event were local officials including Hamilton County mayor, Jim Coppinger; city of Chattanooga mayor, Rob Littlefield; president and CEO of the Chattanooga Chamber, Tom Edd Wilson; Ruth’s Chris franchisee, Mark Oswald; president of Welbro Building Corporation, Bruce Holmes and president and CEO of the Chattanooga Conventions and Visitors Bureau, Bob Doak.
While the Chattanooga property is the first Embassy Suites hotel for Chattanooga Hotel Partners, Legacy Property Group is very familiar with the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands. They have developed three other properties including Embassy Suites Atlanta – at Centennial Olympic Park, Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Downtown and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta – Northlake. They were also recognized as Hilton Worldwide’s Multibrand Developer of the Year in 2008.
“We are thrilled to break ground on our second Embassy Suites hotel,” said David Marvin, president, Legacy Property Group. “The brand has such a loyal following and we’re looking forward to expanding our partnership with Hilton Worldwide to bring the unique upscale, all-suites product only offered by Embassy Suites Hotels to the Chattanooga area.”
Embassy Suites Chattanooga – Hamilton Place will be constructed and designed in the brand’s Design Option III style. The innovative and flexible design features a variety of side-by-side suites, shotgun suites and one room suites in addition to a contemporary atrium area, decreasing the amount of land needed and creating efficiencies for both construction and operational costs. These features also further enhance the guest experience, as there is still a great sense of space and more natural light in guest rooms and public areas like the atrium, while still maintaining all of the offerings that are characteristic of Embassy Suites hotels including the complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and Manager’s Reception*.
“We’re pleased to partner with Chattanooga Hotel Partners and Legacy Property Group to bring an Embassy Suites to the Chattanooga area,” said Ken Mendoza, regional director of Embassy Suites Brand Performance Support, Hilton Worldwide. “Developing new relationships and evolving longstanding partnerships is an important part of our brand’s growth and we work hard to meet the needs and wants of every developer and owner. We’re pleased to see Legacy Property Group capitalizing on the diverse offerings available within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands.”
The hotel will feature all of the signature amenities standard at any Embassy Suites hotel, including free cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, a complimentary two-hour Manager’s Reception* each evening and two-room suites with a separate living area, private bedroom and wet bar fitted with a microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker. Suites will also be equipped with two flat panel high-definition televisions. The property will offer complimentary 24/7 fitness and business centers. In addition, the hotel will feature an indoor pool and second floor deck space that can be utilized for events. A Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse inside the property will be open to both hotel guests and local patrons.
Conveniently located near Hamilton Place Mall and Volkswagen’s new assembly plant, the hotel is part of the “Waterside” mixed-use development. The development currently has an hhgregg, Mellow Mushroom, The Melting Pot and Bridget Davis Salon. Plans for the development include additional shops, restaurants and residences.
“We’re excited to see our vision for a vibrant and energetic Chattanooga area coming to life,” said Ken and Byron DeFoor, principals, Chattanooga Hotel Property Investment. “Embassy Suites Hotels’ unique offering will be a great addition for both business and leisure travelers looking for an upscale experience in the Waterside development.”
“Embassy Suites Chattanooga – Hamilton Place is a great addition to this area and is another indication that Chattanooga continues to be a thriving and exceptional city,” said Mayor Ron Littlefield of the City of Chattanooga. “This is exactly the type of quality development that we have come to expect. We are proud of this investment in our community and the economic impact most assuredly associated with it.”
For more information on Embassy Suites Hotels, please visit www.embassysuites.com. For development queries, please visit www.embassyfranchise.com.
*Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age.
Embassy Suites Hotels, one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands, gives guests more during every stay. The full service, upscale brand offers spacious two-room suites, free cooked-to-order breakfast and a nightly Manager’s Reception with complimentary appetizers and beverages. Both leisure and business travelers looking for an approachable, upscale experience feel right at home in the brand’s inviting atrium environment. Embassy Suites Hotels has 213 properties across the Americas and an additional 27 in the pipeline. For more information, visit embassysuites.com, and connect with Embassy Suites at embassysuitesmediacenter.com, facebook.com/embassysuiteshotels and twitter.com/EmbassySuites.
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800 hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.
Ken and Byron DeFoor, the principals of Defoor Brothers Development, have nearly thirty years of real estate development in the greater Chattanooga area. Their portfolio and development experience includes mixed-use lifestyle centers, office buildings, shopping centers, subdivisions, and health care related entities. Ken is the largest office developer in Hamilton County, with over 306,000 square feet of office completed over the last few years. Byron has a track record of success in the acquisition, ownership, and operations of health care facilities, nursing homes, and retirement communities. With this expertise, Byron founded Grace Healthcare, which currently owns or operates thirty-five nursing homes and assisted living facilities in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. http://defoorbrothersdevelopment.com/
Legacy Property Group (“Legacy”) is an 18 year old real estate development firm that responds to unique market opportunities while enhancing the built environment. Founder and President, David Marvin, is a professional engineer who actively directs each of the company’s undertakings. Legacy’s signature projects, located in downtown Atlanta, have created economic value by transforming a struggling area into a welcoming neighborhood. Fluency across multiple real estate uses, commitment to quality, and the ability to work with partners and local governments have enabled Legacy to define and develop unique projects in the senior housing, retail, residential, hospitality and mixed-use arenas. Legacy’s work has been recognized for excellence by such organizations as the Urban Land Institute, MIT Center for Real Estate, and the Atlanta Regional Commission. Hilton Worldwide named Legacy its “Multibrand Developer of the Year” in 2008. Legacy’s business partners include such names as General Electric Pension Trust, Mission Hills Group, and Hilton Worldwide. Legacy Hotel Partners (LHP) is an affiliate of Legacy Property Group that offers hotel asset management and property management services. The organization has extensive resources and experience in hotel property operations, food & beverage, sales & marketing, training, human resources, accounting/finance, revenue management and purchasing. LHP is led by Mr. Kevin Richards, a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry working with nationally recognized management companies such as Winegardner & Hammons, Prime Hospitality, and Lodgian, Inc. LHP is approved by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Hilton Worldwide to operate upper-upscale hotels within their respective brand families. http://legacyproperty.com/
Lisa Harrison
+1 212 805 8019
Lisa.Harrison@emanatepr.com
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