WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. [NYSE: HOT] announced today that the former Le Meridien Dallas is now reflagged as The Westin City Center Dallas. LaSalle Hotel Properties [NYSE: LHO] has selected Starwood to manage the property as a Westin, Starwood's upper-upscale brand.
Located in the heart of Dallas' downtown arts and financial district on North Pearl Street, the 407-room hotel will feature the Westin brand's signature service and amenities, including the popular Heavenly Bed®, Heavenly Bath®, Westin Service Express® and Westin One Call®. With the addition of The Westin City Center Dallas, Starwood now has a total of eight properties located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area under its Westin and Sheraton brands.
"We are thrilled that LaSalle Hotel Properties has chosen Westin to manage The Westin City Center Dallas. This hotel will be an important addition to our brand's portfolio that will provide us with a strong downtown presence," stated Sue Brush, senior vice president, Westin Hotels & Resorts, North America. "Dallas is such a vibrant and energetic city appealing to both the leisure and business traveler seeking Westin's 'modern luxury.'"
The Westin City Center Dallas is conveniently located to all major highways and is approximately 22 miles from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Nearby cultural attractions abound, including the Dallas Museum of Art, the historic Majestic Theatre and the Morton H. Myerson Symphony Centre. The hotel is also in close proximity to the McKinney Avenue, Deep Ellum and West End entertainment areas and prestigious retail establishments such as Neiman Marcus that are only a short hop on the light rail line. Texas Stadium, home of the world-famous Dallas Cowboys football team, is only a few miles away as well as The Ballpark at Arlington, home to baseball's Texas Rangers.
"Starwood is a premier worldwide management company with a tremendous reputation for quality and excellent customer service," noted Mr. Michael Barnello, chief operating officer of LaSalle Hotel Properties. "We are excited to have this organization associated with our Dallas hotel. Furthermore, the Westin brand is anticipated to add significant benefits to the hotel including improved guest service, enhanced reservation system support, better brand awareness, augmented marketing and advertising coverage, and a deeper management team and overall support network. We believe the Westin brand and Starwood will unleash the hotel's true potential."
The hotel is an ideal venue for the business traveler featuring 13 banqueting and meeting rooms, covering over 23,000 square feet that can accommodate up to 1,200 people. Located on the penthouse level, the Plaza Ballroom offers spectacular views of the Dallas skyline. In addition, The Westin City Center Dallas has a fully equipped business center featuring state-of-the-art computer equipment.
Guests can enjoy the ambience and culinary delights of the 650 North Restaurant serving New American cuisine in the elegant setting of the Wine Room, Library and Atrium Terrace. The hotel bar is situated in a cozy setting and includes an intimate seating area. A popular recreational aspect of the hotel is the skating rink at America's Ice Garden that is located in the atrium of the Plaza of the Americas, adjacent to the hotel. Guests can either participate in the actual skating or watch others skate as they dine casually at any of the numerous dining options throughout the Plaza.