Omni Hotel/Convention Center hotel/24 stories/800 rooms/complete

[MTSUBlueraider86]

Do we have anything definite on this yet? I thought I would start a thread to deal with this one issue instead of lumping it in with the convention center thread(s). Here is what we need to know:

1) Location...behind the CMHOF?

2) Height in stories and feet

3) a) Brand, b) management group, c) ownership group

4) Start date

5) Rendering a.k.a. materials, footprint, orientation, etc...

Does anyone have any information?

SEC

[producer2]

Do we have anything definite on this yet? I thought I would start a thread to deal with this one issue instead of lumping it in with the convention center thread(s). Here is what we need to know:

1) Location...behind the CMHOF?

2) Height in stories and feet

3) a) Brand, b) management group, c) ownership group

4) Start date

5) Rendering a.k.a. materials, footprint, orientation, etc...

Does anyone have any information?

SEC

none of those questions are set in stone yet.

[MTSUBlueraider86]

I liked the 47 story rendering that was published about a year ago, but I think it was a bit unrealistic for Nashville. I don't believe the hotel will be more than 20-25 stories. 1000 rooms can fit in a building of that size rather nicely. The Renaissance Hotel has 673 rooms from floors 5-25. If 20 stories can house 673 rooms in that floorplate size, then I don't see this building being more than 30 floors and 350 feet. Although I love skyscrapers, they are not sustainable and energy effecient at this point unless they go for LEED certification.

P2, you are correct. Nothing is in stone yet and I certainly do not see the second hotel tower that was proposed in the MCC rendering happening at this point.

SEC

[producer2]

I liked the 47 story rendering that was published about a year ago, but I think it was a bit unrealistic for Nashville. I don't believe the hotel will be more than 20-25 stories. 1000 rooms can fit in a building of that size rather nicely. The Renaissance Hotel has 673 rooms from floors 5-25. If 20 stories can house 673 rooms in that floorplate size, then I don't see this building being more than 30 floors and 350 feet. Although I love skyscrapers, they are not sustainable and energy effecient at this point unless they go for LEED certification.

P2, you are correct. Nothing is in stone yet and I certainly do not see the second hotel tower that was proposed in the MCC rendering happening at this point.

SEC

But remember the Renaissance has no ballroom or meeting room space. That is in the

convention center.

[MTSUBlueraider86]

That is true. Except for the meeting rooms on the 2-4th floor, there are no large meeting rooms. The 476 room Sheraton had the same problem. Its 24 floors of rooms contain all 476 but that is because of the open atrium. There is no 13th floor. The 26th , the sundeck, is closed. 27 is a storage room, 28 is the closed restaurant. The do not have efficient use of space at all. They have one large ballroom. We don't have a hotel downtown with actual convention space.

SEC

[smeagolsfree]

We do not know enough details on the Omni project yet, but I would say that there may be a strong retail element in the CC anchor hotel. I don't know anything but is just speculation on my part.That may boost the height a little.

BTW, where in the heck is everyone going to park? There are no garages going up anywhere that I can see. When is this element of the CC project going to take place. If Metro is planning on private development, then they may need to start making TIF funds available if they are applicable.

[jice]

Wasn't parking discussed at some point during the CC discussion? I seem to recall something....

[MTSUBlueraider86]

They need to start something soon if they want to open in 2013!

SEC

Edited July 18, 2010 by Solve Et Coagula

[producer2]

Wasn't parking discussed at some point during the CC discussion? I seem to recall something....

You can look at the plates on the Music city Center site. there is underground parking within the facility off of 6th Ave. I believe it is at least 1800 spots if not more.

[producer2]

The Mayors office was none to pleased with the leak about Omni being named as the anchor hotel in yesterdays NBJ. Although it is true, you will probably have to wait a few more days for the details.

[MTSUBlueraider86]

I am guessing around 25-30 stories and 300-350 feet. I don't suspect a tall building here. With efficiency of space as a demand now, I don't expect an obtuse and overly grand expansive building. I expect something basic, low cost, and inexpensive to operate.

SEC

[AMc]

I am guessing around 25-30 stories and 300-350 feet. I don't suspect a tall building here. With efficiency of space as a demand now, I don't expect an obtuse and overly grand expansive building. I expect something basic, low cost, and inexpensive to operate.

SEC

We can always hold out with a smidgen of hope...at least until they break the news!!

[it's just dave]

Basic? Low cost? Like a Yugo.

Let's just wait until Tuesday. We may be pleasantly surprised.

[producer2]

here is a link to their Dallas project which is also a Convention Omni Dallas Hotel. I would expect something similar here.

[East Side Urbanite]

My interest in the building is as follows (in no particular order):

materials, scale, addressing of the street and surrounding buildings, environmental friendliness and "design distinctiveness."

I expect an approximately 800-room facility at no more than 25 stories (so a max of 300 feet tall). I would be surprised if Omni unveils a 1,000-room, 40-story monster, but I guess it's possible.

WW

[MTSUBlueraider86]

I like the look of the Dallas Hotel. It will be interesting to what they see as a "fit for Nashville." For some reason architects tend to "dumb it down" for Nashville, although the Pinnacle was a pleasant surprise.

SEC

[producer2]

Facts on Predevelopment Agreement with Omni Hotels

Hotel Details

• $250 million private investment in downtown Nashville financed by Omni Hotels & Resorts with a completion guarantee provided by TRT Holdings Inc. (Omni’s parent company)

• 800 guest rooms and suites

• Over 80,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including two ballrooms

• 560 parking spaces

• Will include several restaurants, bars and lounges, as well as retail space, a pool, fitness center and a Mokara signature spa

• Design will reflect Nashville’s identity as Music City and its close proximity to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

• Omni will work with the Country Music Hall of Fame to make part of the site available for its planned expansion and maximize opportunities for joint-uses between the Country Music Hall of Fame and the hotel

• Construction will break ground in spring / summer of 2011

• Grand opening in 2013 (within months of the Music City Center)

• Hotel will create 300 new, full-time jobs when open – 200 of which are guaranteed to be filled by Davidson County residents

• Construction will include 20 percent diversity business participation and 20 percent of the project’s construction costs will be spent with local businesses

Economic Incentives

• While the hotel will be privately financed, Metro Government will provide economic development incentives in line with the Mayor’s priorities of creating jobs and growing the city’s tax base.

• Economic incentives will be primarily funded by revenue sources generated by the existence of the hotel.

• The economic incentive package includes:

o Economic Development Enhancement Grant: An annual payment over 20 years valued at $103 million out of excess tourism taxes generated within the Music City Center campus.

o Tax Increment Financing (TIF): $25 million in 2011 to help pay certain site and infrastructure-related costs.

o Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT): A partial tax abatement of 62.5 percent. Omni will pay the portion of the property tax (37.5 percent) that goes to fund Nashville’s public schools.

Approval Process

• The predevelopment agreement must be approved by the Convention Center Authority.

• The predevelopment agreement will be presented to the Convention Center Authority at its regularly scheduled committee meetings at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26 in room 210 of the Nashville Convention Center. Approval of the agreement will be sought at the full Authority meeting on Sept. 2.

• Approval of the predevelopment agreement will allow Omni Hotels to move forward with work on the project’s conceptual design and development budget at the company’s expense. Under the predevelopment agreement, the only financial commitment of the Authority is up to $1 million to reimburse the cost of land options in the case that a development agreement is never reached.

• A development agreement will be finalized this fall and presented to the Authority and the Metro Council for review and approval.

[franktown]

I'm optimistic about them getting the design right. I've been down here watching the Dallas Convention Center Omni going up and they've try to do a quality job of it. Granted, it doesn't address the street, but Dallas is more permissive of that than Nashville is.

Here's an article on the local touches they're putting into the Dallas one:

http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2010/07/19/story3.html?b=1279512000^3660231

Personally, looking at their other ones, I hope ours takes after Fort Worth's more. Height-wise, I don't much care how tall it is.... honestly, I'm a bit disappointed it'll block the southerly view of the CMHOF.

Sounds like Metro is getting a good deal here..... right???

[producer2]

Sounds like Metro is getting a good deal here..... right???

I think anytime you get a private entity to build using their own money and your portion of the bill comes from money they generate and not other sources that is a good deal, especially in this economic climate. I am sure there will be detractors but I expect this to fly through Metro Council and you will see some construction in about 8 months...

[jice]

Can't wait! I just hope the design is more pedestrian friendly than what i'm picturing.. but i'm doubtful that it will be. The Dallas hotel looks (to me) like something you'd find in an office park in Cool Springs.

[jice]

Owner of Omni Hotels, Robert Rowling.. stepped down from the board of directors of Gaylord.

http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2010/08/23/daily26.html?surround=lfn

[franktown]

Yeah, the one in DT Dallas doesn't front the street at all. There are some semi-valid reasons but there's no street activity anyway I guess.

Producer2, I thought it seemed like we were getting an amazing deal. It almost seems too good to be true!

[producer2]

Yeah, the one in DT Dallas doesn't front the street at all. There are some semi-valid reasons but there's no street activity anyway I guess.

Producer2, I thought it seemed like we were getting an amazing deal. It almost seems too good to be true!

Well, it's not free but certainly a better setup than I see in most cities. Marriott could not compete even as large as they are because Omni had cash and were willing to put up their own funds to construct and operate this hotel. In Dallas the City is financing this project through bonds much the same as Nashville did for the MCC. Being able to participate monetarily from funds derived from taxes generated by a facility that you are not paying to build is really cool!

[MTSUBlueraider86]

Marriott has a large presence anyway. Its good to have a new brand in the city.

MTSUBR86

[producer2]

Just a bit of info to report on since I won't be there tomorrow. At yesterday's briefing to the Council on the hotel project, information was released on hotel/tourism tax collections that will be used to repay the bond debt for the MCC. For the fiscal year that ended June 30th, the City collected $1,000,000.00 MORE than was projected in the reports used to substantiate the bond repayments. This was accomplished during our current economic downturn and with the loss of revenue for 2 months from the Gaylord hotel. A very positive report....