Doubletree pitches convention Center Hotel

[vdogg]

Yuck!

link

The Doubletree Hotel wants to expand and become the city's convention center headquarters hotel, joining three other companies vying for that title. Harmony Hospitality of Virginia Beach, which owns the Doubletree Hotel on 19th Street that is next to the convention center, plans to build a 156-room Embassy Suites on the same property.

The two hotels would have a combined 455 rooms, said Page Johnson II, Harmony Hospitality's president.

The seven-story Embassy Suites would be connected to the convention center by an elevated walkway 550 feet away, which the city would pay for, Johnson said. That would be the only proposed city expense for the project.

[Padman]

That would look pretty welcoming in Elizabeth City

[carolinaboy]

That would look pretty welcoming in Elizabeth City

[lil-bear]

I think that if the city offered some incentive to produce a better looking building, this propsal just might work!

[erdogs]

[wrldcoupe4]

This bid looks like a winner!

[vtfan18]

Perfect...just what the oceanfront is really well known for, mediocre hotels and entertainment. It'll fit right in!

[vdogg]

Why does it not surprise me at all that every poster on the pilot so far is completely behind this project? Are these people kidding me? About the only thing uglier that i've seen in recent years is that monstrocity out of Fort Norfolk and the proposed 12-story pembroke office building.

[rusthebuss]

Wow if the city approves it I will be very disappointed! I would take the Hyatt over this thing! I would really like to see the S. Korean development come true!

[occasio]

Why does it not surprise me at all that every poster on the pilot so far is completely behind this project? Are these people kidding me? About the only thing uglier that i've seen in recent years is that monstrocity out of Fort Norfolk and the proposed 12-story pembroke office building.

[vdogg]

Let's think about this, if they were to get a better design...

[tombarnes]

Looks like it was made from the proverbial Kleenex and spit. Is this the best they can do? Is Virginia Beach destined for such mediocrity? I hope not. Complain! Even Elizabeth City would be befouled by this.

[vtfan18]

Do you view this as likely? The current Doubletree is about as ugly as sin and now they want to extend this ugliness to an additional lot. This thing looks like it could be a motel...well...anywhere. It is not Convention center quality. Honestly, the Hyatt sounds like it's probably the best option for that location out of all of these right now. The doubletree is all about cheap, and they will likely use the cheapest material possible to build.

[vdogg]

Pipdo, I moved the Hyatt stuff to it's own thread so that we can keep all of these proposals seperate.

[Former Resident of HR]

Well I went to the convention center for the car show and was unimpressed... not with he center but all the parking lots. WAY TOO MUCH ASPHALT! VB should get some developer on board to build something in the same style next to the center. There is a lot adjacent to the center.

The Doubletree is too far away anyway. A 500 ft bridge? In Yellow? The long walk from a distant lot (but closer than the Double Tree) in the icy cold was not fun for me and I am sure that most conventioners would be even less enthused. They really need to concentrate on building an ODU style mega-garage and build the convention center into a denser destination on its own. Then build out the Dome site as another destination (entertainment) all connected by... LIGHT RAIL. Yeah but what do we know?

[urbanlife]

The words Doubletree and good architecture don't go hand and hand, and I think I threw up alittle at that rendering.

In the reality of all these new developments being proposed, I think the Hyatt makes the most sense.

[vdogg]

Beach hotel chase becomes 4-way race

[odumonarch]

I'd much rather take the Hyatt proposal since it would make the city look a lot better, but 18 stories, they have to discuss that with the Navy to cut down on the number of stories. Plus, to keep their 400 rooms, they would have to enlargen the hotel square footing, which reduces the need for the city to pay for the walkway to convention center. I know a lot of conventioneers need a walkway, and Doubletree does not provide one. But if I were paying to build a hotel, I'd much rather be concerned more with profits than giving out rooms for whatever it takes. A 62% occupancy with a rate of $102 per night, with 400 rooms, it would equal 248 rooms with $102 per night, multiply 248 by 102 by 365 gives out $9.2 million a year, not to include taxes, food service and other amenities. Getting $9.2 million on paying $80 million to $100 million gives out about 9.2% to 12% rate of return, at least, not good news.

[vdogg]

I'd much rather take the Hyatt proposal since it would make the city look a lot better, but 18 stories, they have to discuss that with the Navy to cut down on the number of stories.

[pipdo]

Plus, to keep their 400 rooms, they would have to enlargen the hotel square footing, which reduces the need for the city to pay for the walkway to convention center. I know a lot of conventioneers need a walkway, and Doubletree does not provide one.

[erdogs]

Looks like a lot of developers want to build there, so lets keep the carrot and stick out there for a while. This may also help with Sun Rise by showing the city council what a prized project they have here. Can someone get the Donald on the phone?

[vdogg]

This proposal will be presented to city council at the April 3rd informal meeting.

[vdogg]

I will have the Embassy suites proposal posted later this afternoon.

[erdogs]

How much later?

[vdogg]

How much later?