WACO AND WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS — Wichita Falls-based Lalani Hospitality Group I is developing two Hilton hotels in Texas. The first is an 88-room Homewood Suites by Hilton located in the 150-acre Legends Crossing mixed-use development in Waco. Groundbreaking is set to occur in the third quarter. The second hotel is an 88-room Hilton Garden Inn located in Wichita Falls, adjacent to a Homewood Suites developed by Lalani in 2005. Construction will begin in the second quarter of 2009. Lalani Lodging, an affiliate of Lalani Hospitality Group I, will manage both properties.
CLEVELAND — InterContinental Hotels Group has announced plans to build a new Hotel Indigo in the historic Breuer Tower, which is located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East Ninth Street in downtown Cleveland. Construction is expected to begin this fall on the adaptive reuse of the mid-century landmark building and completion for the LEED-certified project is slated for spring 2010. The 12 lower levels of the facility will be redeveloped into the hotel and the upper floors will be reserved for residential space. The owner, The K&D Group, is facilitating a $200 million redevelopment of the area. Hotel Indigo will feature a casual gourmet restaurant, wireless high-speed Internet access throughout the hotel, and 3,000 square feet of meeting space for business functions or special events.
ROANOKE, VA. — Star City Lodging has acquired Rodeway Inn at an undisclosed price from Mountain Valley Associates. The buyer, a regional, multi-unit owner and operator, plans to renovate the property. It will remain in the Choice Hotels brand family. David Mumford and Ed James of the Mumford Company structured the sale.
CLINTON, OKLA. — Oklahoma City-based HotelBrokerOne has completed the sale of the Travelodge Clinton, located near exit 65 of Interstate 40 in Clinton, for approximately $1 million. The two-story hotel is situated near Historic Route 66, as well as the Historic Route 66 Museum. It features a seasonal pool. The property was acquired by Dutt Corp. from Sunny Inn and Starker Services.
LOS ANGELES — Behringer Harvard of Dallas has completed the $25 million transformation of a 19-story hotel into the four-star Hotel Palomar Westwood in Los Angeles. Located at 10740 Wilshire Blvd., the newly renovated hotel features 264 guest rooms with black and red lacquer furnishings, faux snakeskin dresser tops, snakeskin-patterned carpet and 42-inch flat-screen televisions; ultra-modern bathroom designs; a restaurant; a lobby; and a swimming pool. Gensler designed the hotel, while Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Cheryl Rowley Designs provided interior decorating services. R.D. Olson Construction served as general contractor of the project. San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels operates the hotel.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — The Dallas office of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler (HFF) has secured a $165 million construction loan for the new W Hotel & Residences located at Second Street and Lavaca in downtown Austin. Scheduled for completion in 2011, the project will contain 252 guest rooms on the lower floors of the tower, and 165 residential units on floors 18 to 37. Residences will contain one to four units. Residents and guests will have access to a 24-hour concierge service, restaurants and clubs, an elevated garden incorporating a pool and a bar, 5,000 square feet of meeting space, 4,300 square feet of banquet space, and an 8,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. Whitaker Johnson of HFF represented Stratus Properties and the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund in securing the loan. The lender is Corus Bank, N.A.
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.