May 2003
THE WESTIN CHARLOTTE CELEBRATES ITS GRAND OPENING
CHARLOTTE, N.C. May 5, 2003 Modern luxury arrived in Charlotte today as The Westin Charlotte celebrated its greatly anticipated grand opening. Designed by internationally renowned architect John Portman and featuring contemporary, high-tech design in both its aesthetic and functional details, the 700-room hotel will be a key component in attracting additional tourism to Charlottes Uptown district.
Weve created a world-class hotel that will appeal to all sorts of travelers, said Jon Kimball, general manager of The Westin Charlotte. It is lush with detail and warmth while still preserving the clean lines and open spaces of modern design. We also equipped every guest room and meeting space with high-speed Internet access to make sure the modern elements extend beyond just the visual appeal.
The centerpiece of the hotel lobby is a chandelier named Aspiration designed for the hotel by Portman. "Charlotte is ready to leap forward, Portman said. I designed and named this piece in recognition of Charlottes great aspirations. The chandelier, truly a sight to behold, is constructed of stainless steel and Crystal Ice acrylic shingles. Other custom art pieces in the hotel designed by Portman include Nocturne, a painting that hangs in the lobby, and Trolley Lines, a large mural that will decorate the hotels trolley stop located on the second level.
With 700 rooms, more than 44,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space, and the citys largest hotel ballroom at 16,276 square feet, The Westin Charlotte will play a prominent role in the citys ability to attract large meetings and conventions.
Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon said, This hotel has been part of Charlottes growth plan since 1997 when the city began exploring ways to enhance its convention business and how best to use the new Convention Center. Today is the culmination of a tremendous amount of effort, and I applaud everyone who helped make it happen. This day marks a major milestone in Charlottes progress as a destination city.
In addition to its unique design elements, the hotel also features fire and ice, a unique food and beverage outlet theme, and Westins highly acclaimed line of Heavenly products and innovative guest services, including the Heavenly Bed®, Heavenly BathSM
, Service Express®, Westin One Call® and Westin WorkoutSM. With fire at the Ember Grille restaurant and ice at Bar10, the hotel intends to attract local patrons as well as hotel guests. Ember Grille, with an open kitchen and outdoor terrace, has an eclectic menu with a fiery wood-burning oven and rotisserie. Bar10 lies alongside a soothing waterscape and offers top 10 wines, martinis, single malts, small batch bourbons, tequilas and microbrews, as well as a food menu with crisp, clean flavors. Additionally, Charlottes Treats and Eats caf will offer Starbucks coffee, juices, pastries, salads, wraps and sandwiches.
Charlotte is an important travel market for Westin. It attracts both leisure and business travelers as one of the Southeasts major business, financial and cultural centers, said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts, North America.
The hotel expects its first large, self-contained meeting, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to fill approximately 400 rooms beginning May 6. In June, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) will bring 2,000 people to the city and fill 650 rooms at The Westin Charlotte. Bookings through the remainder of 2003 remain strong.
About The Westin Charlotte
Located in Charlottes Uptown business and entertainment district and adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center, The Westin Charlotte is the citys newest, most luxurious hotel. The hotels 700 guest rooms and suites feature the Heavenly Bed®, the Heavenly BathSM and numerous other guest amenities. The hotel also features more than 44,000 square feet of convention facilities and high-speed Internet access in all guest rooms and meetings spaces. It is owned by Portman Holdings, L.P., and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts under its Westin Hotels & Resorts brand.
About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with more than 110 hotels and resorts in 26 countries, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts.
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