PLANO, TEXAS — The grand opening has been held for the third Amazing Jake’s, located at 831 North Central Expressway in Plano. The 90,000-square-foot family entertainment restaurant features an all-you-can-eat buffet, over 180 video games, laser tag, bumper cars, a 6-lane bowling alley, a 25-foot tall climbing wall and party rooms. The restaurant is located within the former Mervyn’s building at the recently renovated Collin Creek Mall.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Parsippany-based Wyndham Worldwide Corp. has acquired U.S. Franchise Systems, including its Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites hotel brands, from a subsidiary of Global Hyatt Corp. Wyndham will add 292 Microtel Inns & Suites, along with 38 more still under development, and 91 Hawthorn Suites to its portfolio. Wyndham’s hotel division, Wyndham Hotel Group, is the largest hotel franchisor in the world, bringing its total up to more than 6,550 franchised hotels worldwide with this acquisition. The transaction is expected to be complete within the next 60 days. The acquisition price was not disclosed.
SIMPSONVILLE AND GREENVILLE, S.C. — Infinite Hotel Group has acquired a Hampton Inn in Simpsonville from Fairview Hospitality for an undisclosed amount. The 84- room property is located at 3934 Grandview Dr. Bill Fayssoux and Jay Alexander of Windsor Aughtry Co. represented Fairview Hospitality in the transaction. In addition, WAL Lodging has acquired a Hampton Inn in Greenville. The 116-room property is located at 15 Park Woodruff Dr. Bill Fayssoux and Jay Alexander represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction.
PHILADELPHIA — The Embassy Suites Philadelphia City Center has completed a $10 million renovation to the 288-suite hotel. Renovations to guest rooms include new desks, wireless Internet access, marble-topped wet bars featuring built-in refrigerators and microwaves, and flat-screen televisions in the parlor and bedroom of each suite. Additionally, the hotel’s fitness center and lobby bar were upgraded, and a new business center and 24-hour gift shop were added. The hotel’s 4,000 square feet of meeting space were also upgraded. A new landscaping package will be added in July.
EL PASO, TEXAS — Cohen Hospitality Group is developing El Paso’s first Candlewood Suites, located at the intersection of Interstate 54 and Cohen Avenue near Fort Bliss military base. The property will cost $5.2 million and will feature 92 suites over four floors. Hotel amenities will include an indoor pool, complimentary high-speed Internet access and a 24-hour fitness center. It will be managed by Cohen Hospitality Realty. Groundbreaking is expected to occur in the fourth quarter, with completion scheduled for fourth quarter 2009.
LOS ANGELES — Next Century Associates, a joint venture with an entity in the D. E. Shaw group, has acquired Century Plaza Hotel for $366.5 million or approximately $505,000 per room, from Sunstone Hotel Investors. Located at 2025 Avenue of the Stars in Los Angeles, the renowned 19-story hotel features 726 guestrooms and 85,000 square feet of meeting space, including the Los Angeles Ballroom. Sunstone purchased the hotel in 2005 and implemented a $36 million improvement program. Hyatt will continue to operate the property, which features extensive gardens, four outdoor swimming pools with private cabanas, a 20-room spa and several restaurants.
DENVER — InterContinental Hotels Group is developing its fifth property in the Denver market. Located at 6951 Tower Rd., the six-floor, 103,597-square-foot property will feature 150 suites, a 350-square-foot meeting room, an indoor pool, barbeque grills, a library, a courtyard with a gazebo and fire pit, complimentary wireless Internet access, a 24-hour business center, a fitness center, a lounge with seating and a large-screen television, and a Bridgemart 24-hour convenience store. The franchised property is owned by Today’s V Inc. and managed by Providence Hospitality Partners, under a license agreement with the InterContinental Hotels Group. The $17 million Staybridge Suites property is slated to open this summer.
DENVER — Red Lion Hotels Corp. has acquired the Renaissance Hotel Denver Southeast for $25.3 million. Located along Interstate 225, the hotel has been re-named the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast. The hotel features 25,000 square feet of meeting space, a two-story parking garage, a swimming pool, a business center, a 120-seat restaurant and a 50-seat lounge. Red Lion plans to invest $8 million on renovations for the property.
CLEVELAND — Terry O’Brien of Washington-based Molinaro Koger has arranged the sale of the 213-room Holiday Inn Cleveland-East, Ohio, on behalf of Ridgehills Hotel. The hotel, which features an indoor pool, more than 8,000-square-feet of meeting space, and two food and beverage outlets, was acquired by Inn at the Wickliffe for an undisclosed price. The buyer plans to manage the facility and execute an extensive renovation to capture increased market shares.
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS — Turner Construction has topped out construction of the expansion of Great Wolf Lodge – Grapevine, an indoor water park and resort located at 1400 Highway 26 in Grapevine. The expansion will add 203 guest suites to the resort, bringing the total up to 605 upon completion. The expansion also will bring the resort’s meeting space to 27,000 square feet, comprising a 7,500-square-foot ballroom, six meeting rooms, two board rooms, more than 4,000 square feet of pre-function space and six outdoor event areas. Completion is scheduled for December.