The developers of a new convention hotel planned for Congress Avenue downtown say they are changing it from a Marriott Marquis to the more upscale JW Marriott brand.
Plans for the hotel include oversized guestrooms and suites, upscale interior design finishes throughout, in excess of 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting, banquet and exhibition space, multiple food and beverage venues, underground parking, and a signature 4,500 square foot fitness center.
The developer, White Lodging Services Corporation, had initially planned to open the hotel as a Marriott Marquis, as the Austin Business Journal reported, but the new brand could give the city’s convention business an added appeal, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Mayor Lee Leffingwell has strongly advocated for more hotel spaces downtown to attract conventions to Austin. City council waived $4.3 million in development fees for White Lodging Services this summer.
Construction on the 30-story, 1003-room hotel is set to begin June 2012. It is scheduled to open in early 2015. The JW Marriott is one of three new hotels planned for the Central Business District downtown.
