BOSTON — Omni Hotels & Resorts has broken ground on the $550 million Omni Boston Seaport Hotel, a 21-story, 1,055-room hotel in Boston’s Seaport district.
Set to open in late 2020 on a two-acre parcel at the corner of Summer and D streets, the hotel will feature 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space that includes the largest hotel ballroom in the Seaport District.
Other amenities will include an urban rooftop pool deck with an event space featuring views of Boston’s skyline, all-day restaurant, retail shop, fitness center and spa.
Once completed, the Omni Boston Seaport will become the city’s fourth largest hotel, according to the developer.
“This project’s hotel, retail, restaurant and outdoor space is a welcome addition to Boston’s Seaport District and will lead to expanded economic opportunities for many businesses within the Commonwealth,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said at the groundbreaking. “Our administration looks forward to continuing to work together with partners at the local level and in the private sector to support economic development in communities across Massachusetts.”
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) tapped Omni Hotels & Resorts, along with a team from New Boston Hospitality, in 2017 to develop the hotel. The project is estimated to create 1,100 construction jobs and 700 to 1,000 permanent jobs.
A portion of the hotel’s profits are slated to go to six nonprofit organizations, including The Edgerley Family South Boston Clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, The South Boston Community Health Center, Julie’s Family Learning Center, Ladies Involved in Putting a Stop To Inner-City Killing (LIPSTICK), The Daniel Marr Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester, and the Building Pathways Program, a pre-apprenticeship program that provides construction career opportunities to low-income Boston residents.
“Boston is a premier destination and we are incredibly excited to be a part of the city’s continued evolution — especially in the Seaport District,” said Peter Strebel, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to working together with Massport, New Boston Hospitality, Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh to establish the Omni Boston Seaport Hotel as an unforgettable destination for years to come.”
The Omni Boston Seaport will become the largest hotel in Omni’s portfolio, which includes properties in Atlanta; Louisville, Ky.; Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; and Nashville, Tenn.
— David Cohen