MeriStar Hospitality Corporation (NYSE: MHX) announced that it had completed the re-flagging of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare, which had previously been flagged as the Holiday Inn O'Hare International, at a special ceremony held at the hotel yesterday. The event was attended by senior officials from MeriStar and InterContinental Hotels Group, including Stevan Porter, InterContinental's president of the Americas.
The property currently is undergoing a $7 million renovation and already has completed extensive upgrades to its exterior, including a completely new exterior, new signage and lighting and expansive landscaping. Interior work is well underway with new lobby furnishings and carpeting in place, as well as the installation of the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage program and other brand amenities. When completed, the renovation will include refurbishing of the public and meeting space, and the spa and pool, as well as upgrading guest rooms and bathrooms. The Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare is the sixth hotel to be re-flagged by MeriStar this year as part of an extensive upgrading and repositioning strategy.
"We are on schedule with the timing of our renovation program, and expect to invest approximately $125 million in our hotels in 2004," said Paul W. Whetsell, chairman and chief executive officer. "Through our proprietary purchasing and design program, we have been able to move forward rapidly with reduced costs compared to traditional methods."
Whetsell noted that the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare has more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space and 503 guest rooms. "By re-flagging to the Crowne Plaza brand, we expect to attract more higher-rated, group business seeking an upscale, first-class, full-service meeting experience. We are seeing a very positive rebound at our hotels that have completed our renovation program, in terms of guest satisfaction and higher revenue per available room. We expect to convert one additional hotel to a new brand before year-end."
|
Post Release
Get Content
Email News Brief
Saved Articles
Advertising
Handheld
XML/RSS
Post News