One Step Closer to Opening in Summer 2005, Hotel Will Anchor Largest Convention Center Between Boston and New York and a 33-Acre Enterprise of Retail, Entertainment and Cultural Attractions
Waterford Group, one of New England’s largest development, construction and hotel owner/management companies, celebrated the topping off of its $81-million Marriott Hartford Downtown hotel in a milestone ceremony on Friday, Sept. 24 with Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and a host of VIPs and other attendees. A key element of the more than $1 billion revitalization of Hartford, the Marriott Hartford Downtown is the first new, full-service hotel to be built in the state capital in more than 20 years and the first in a series of multi-million dollar developments that promise to redefine Hartford for business, community living, tourism and recreation.
When completed, the 409-room hotel will be the official anchor of the new $285 million Connecticut Convention Center, the largest between Boston and New York, which Waterford Management, a Waterford Group subsidiary, will operate. The two facilities, scheduled to open summer 2005, are major components of the 33-acre Adriaen’s Landing enterprise of retail, residential, entertainment and cultural venues, which also will include the Connecticut Center for Science & Exploration and Hartford riverfront. The city’s new residential/entertainment district is being created through an innovative public/private sector initiative involving numerous city and stage agencies, financial institutions and development concerns. Adriaen’s Landing will form a new downtown area linking the riverfront with neighboring Constitution and Riverfront Plazas, the acclaimed Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Main Street and City Hall.
“Today marks another major step in the completion of one of Connecticut’s most exciting and important business and tourism developments,” says M. Jodi Rell, Governor of Connecticut, “one that I’m confident will help make the state even more competitive on a national scale, as well as one that helps make Hartford an even more vibrant and thriving business and leisure destination. I share Waterford Group’s excitement in seeing this revitalization project continue moving forward toward opening next summer.”
Len Wolman, chairman & CEO of Waterford Group, added, “We’re proud that the Marriott Hartford Downtown, along with the Connecticut Convention Center, will be a pivotal part of Hartford’s rebirth. It is exciting to see this great city being restored for residents, those who work here and the increasing number of people who will visit for pleasure and business.”
When the 22-story Marriott Hartford Downtown is completed, it will feature 409 spacious guestrooms, including eight luxury suites, 200 king rooms, 201 double/double rooms, 18 Concierge level rooms and 12 handicap accessible rooms. All guestrooms will be outfitted as “The Room that Works” for business travelers, with dual-line telephones, message light, data ports, clock radio and voice mail, as well as high-speed Internet access, cable TV with in-room movies and video games on demand. In-room amenities will include coffee set up, safes, irons and ironing boards, hair dryers, deluxe bedding and linens.
The hotel also will offer more than 13,000 square feet of flexible meeting and banquet space, divisible into 11 breakout rooms, including the Connecticut Ballroom, the largest hotel ballroom in Hartford, with more than 8,300 square feet of space. Additional meeting rooms include the 3,000-square-foot Hartford ballroom and three self-contained conference rooms. State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment will be available, as well as the services of trained meeting planning staff.
Additional amenities of the Marriott Hartford Downtown include a rooftop indoor swimming pool, whirlpool; day spa and fitness center that offer sweeping views of the Connecticut River and downtown Hartford, as well as a high-energy Feature bar and an Italian dining venue. Designed to enhance the guests’ and Hartford residents’ experience, the Tuscan-style Italian restaurant will be open for dining all day, while the Feature bar, carrying through the restaurant décor, will offer guests an upscale and friendly lounge environment.
About Waterford Hotel Group
Waterford Hotel Group is a national hotel management firm currently operating 27 properties in nine states. With corporate offices in Waterford, CT, Waterford Hotel Group is one of the most successful management companies in the hospitality industry. The company’s nationwide roster of properties consistently achieves exceptional market share and returns well above industry averages. This outstanding track record is based on strategic growth, intimate knowledge of industry trends, and providing value for customers and investors. For further information, contact Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., 914 Hartford Turnpike, P.O. Box 715, Waterford, CT 06385; telephone 860-442-4559, fax 860-437-7752, or visit the company's website at www.waterfordhotelgroup.com.
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