Fairmont Austin, Texas
May 30, 2012, 6:58 am
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,446
Fairmont Austin, Texas
TORONTO (May 30, 2012) - Luxury hotel brand Fairmont Hotels & Resorts ("Fairmont") and Manchester Texas Financial Group LLC (MTFG) announce the signing of an agreement for Fairmont to manage a new city center hotel slated to open in 2015. The Fairmont Austin will be located directly east of the Austin Convention Center, at the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets.
The $350 million concept will be crafted by the project's architect, Gensler Austin, to accommodate additional upscale features reflective of Fairmont's luxury design and service aesthetics. For example, the planned number of rooms will likely be reduced from 1,035 to approximately 1,000 - allowing for larger guestrooms and suites, explains Todd Runkle, managing director of Gensler Austin.
"Fairmont represents one of the strongest and most luxurious brands in the hospitality industry. Our alliance with Fairmont will establish a new high water mark for convention center hotels industry-wide," said Doug Manchester, president of MTFG. "We diligently set out to find the right operator that was willing to go above and beyond with a special vision tailored for the Austin market. Fairmont is doing just that."
The 50-story hotel, which features over 70,000 square feet of function space, will rise approximately 580 feet, making it the second largest structure on downtown Austin's skyline, which is currently dominated by the 56-story, 680-foot Austonian. The project will mark Fairmont's second hotel in Texas and join The Fairmont Dallas, located in the heart of the Downtown Arts District.
"For over a century, Fairmont has been host to legendary meetings and special events across the globe and we are excited to bring our broad range of experience in the meetings arena to this project," said Jennifer Fox, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. "Austin is currently seeing tremendous interest and growth in the convention market and with its reputation as a dynamic, vibrant capital city will be a great addition to our portfolio."
The project will generate approximately $6 million in hotel occupancy tax and contribute $4 million in annual property tax, most of which will go to the Waller Creek TIF (tax increment financing) district. It will add roughly 1,000 permanent jobs to the Austin market, not including jobs generated during the construction project.
The hotel's design encompasses a number of green building elements and will seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, an environmentally progressive positioning that complements Fairmont's industry leading philosophy of operational sustainability and responsible tourism. More than two decades ago, Fairmont was the first hotel company to adopt a comprehensive environmental program and more recently became the first luxury brand to address climate change by pledging to significantly reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.
The luxury brand's Green Partnership Program focuses on sustainability, mainly improvements in the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, as well as community outreach through local groups and partnerships. Initiatives include a green conferencing solution dubbed Eco-Meet, recycling and organic waste diversion in the hotels' kitchens, retrofitting energy efficient lighting, purchasing green power, sourcing sustainable seafood, creating rooftop herb gardens at properties and redistributing food and gently used goods to those in need.
The $350 million concept will be crafted by the project's architect, Gensler Austin, to accommodate additional upscale features reflective of Fairmont's luxury design and service aesthetics. For example, the planned number of rooms will likely be reduced from 1,035 to approximately 1,000 - allowing for larger guestrooms and suites, explains Todd Runkle, managing director of Gensler Austin.
"Fairmont represents one of the strongest and most luxurious brands in the hospitality industry. Our alliance with Fairmont will establish a new high water mark for convention center hotels industry-wide," said Doug Manchester, president of MTFG. "We diligently set out to find the right operator that was willing to go above and beyond with a special vision tailored for the Austin market. Fairmont is doing just that."
The 50-story hotel, which features over 70,000 square feet of function space, will rise approximately 580 feet, making it the second largest structure on downtown Austin's skyline, which is currently dominated by the 56-story, 680-foot Austonian. The project will mark Fairmont's second hotel in Texas and join The Fairmont Dallas, located in the heart of the Downtown Arts District.
"For over a century, Fairmont has been host to legendary meetings and special events across the globe and we are excited to bring our broad range of experience in the meetings arena to this project," said Jennifer Fox, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. "Austin is currently seeing tremendous interest and growth in the convention market and with its reputation as a dynamic, vibrant capital city will be a great addition to our portfolio."
The project will generate approximately $6 million in hotel occupancy tax and contribute $4 million in annual property tax, most of which will go to the Waller Creek TIF (tax increment financing) district. It will add roughly 1,000 permanent jobs to the Austin market, not including jobs generated during the construction project.
The hotel's design encompasses a number of green building elements and will seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, an environmentally progressive positioning that complements Fairmont's industry leading philosophy of operational sustainability and responsible tourism. More than two decades ago, Fairmont was the first hotel company to adopt a comprehensive environmental program and more recently became the first luxury brand to address climate change by pledging to significantly reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.
The luxury brand's Green Partnership Program focuses on sustainability, mainly improvements in the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, as well as community outreach through local groups and partnerships. Initiatives include a green conferencing solution dubbed Eco-Meet, recycling and organic waste diversion in the hotels' kitchens, retrofitting energy efficient lighting, purchasing green power, sourcing sustainable seafood, creating rooftop herb gardens at properties and redistributing food and gently used goods to those in need.
May 31, 2012, 11:50 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: (SJC)
Posts: 2,198
Exciting stuff. I imagine this will be similar to PacRim/Beijing/Pittsburg/Chicago. 1000 Rooms! That is huge. Other than Saudi, might be the biggest. Now if we can just get them to return to Florida!
Another Article: http://www.statesman.com/business/re...n-2382129.html
Another Article: http://www.statesman.com/business/re...n-2382129.html
Gold Floor
Aug 13, 2017, 6:22 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
There was supposed to be a large conference scheduled at this hotel in November. Due to the postponed opening of the hotel, the event needs to not only move to another hotel, but also to another city because on short notice there was no other hotel in Austin able to host the event. Lots of unhappy people. Website now says "opening late fall 2017" and only taking reservations starting in December.
Aug 14, 2017, 8:17 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: YYC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Fairmont Plat, IHG Spire, SPG Gold, WS Gold, Hertz PC, National E Elite,
Posts: 2,768
Aug 14, 2017, 10:17 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: (SJC)
Posts: 2,198
Sounds like a mess, hopefully the hotel is a gem though.
Aug 14, 2017, 11:36 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: YYC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Fairmont Plat, IHG Spire, SPG Gold, WS Gold, Hertz PC, National E Elite,
Posts: 2,768
Mar 3, 2018, 7:11 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Delta DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,046
The hotel is officially opening on Monday. We will be in Austin but unfortunately just tonight and Sunday Night so we will miss the opening by a day. But definitely going to check it out on Monday.