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Project Set to Open in 2003; Includes a 584-room Ritz-Carlton and a 1,000-room JW Marriott |
| ORLANDO, Fla., July 29, 2002 - When the sprawling
500-acre Grande Lakes Orlando debuts in July 2003, it will elevate America's
number one vacation destination to another level. Grande Lakes will open
new doors for the high-end business and leisure traveler with its luxury
584-room Ritz-Carlton and deluxe 1,000-room JW Marriott.
In addition, the estate will contain a 40,000 square foot spa, and an 18-hole championship golf course designed by two-time British Open winner Greg Norman. Both of these facilities will be managed by Ritz-Carlton. As the largest non-gaming hotel project under construction in the U.S., the nearly $600 million destination resort is owned by Thayer Lodging Group and managed under a long-term agreement by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., and Marriott. "We are pleased to report that Grande Lakes is on schedule and on budget
to open next July," said Marc Hoffman, Vice President and Managing Director
of Grande Lakes Orlando. "The resort will redefine the Orlando marketplace
by offering an unrivaled level of guest service,
 Addressing the shortage of luxury and premium hotel rooms and facilities in Orlando, Grande Lakes will offer meeting planners and attendees exceptional levels of service. Connecting the two properties will be the vast meeting space -- The Ritz-Carlton will offer 33,000 square feet including two ballrooms, and 14 meeting rooms while the JW Marriott will feature over 72,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms, 23 conference rooms and two elegantly appointed boardrooms. To meet the requirements of meeting planners, network infrastructure throughout both hotels will consist of a fiber-optic backbone and fiber-optic feed into every meeting room, allowing for the capability to handle streaming video, audio, internet and other forms of data traffic at tremendous speeds. "We have exceeded our expectations for group business and are ahead of the booking pace in both hotels," added Mr. Hoffman. "With the July opening of Grande Lakes shortly before completion of the Orlando Convention Center expansion, we are perfectly timed to meet the anticipated surge in group business to Orlando." The Spa, managed by Ritz-Carlton, will feature 40 treatment rooms covering three levels and a total area of 40,000 square feet. Guests will be welcomed into a secluded, serene environment surrounded by the lake, lush gardens and Spanish-Moorish architecture. Featuring The Ritz-Carlton Spa philosophy of sanitas per agua, "health through water," guests will be transported back in time through treatments honoring water therapies famous throughout the world since ancient times. Reflecting its Florida location, the Spa will highlight citrus-inspired health and beauty treatments as well as spa rituals from the most exotic Ritz-Carlton locations. Creating what will soon become one of Florida's finest golf experiences, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club will combine the natural Florida environment with the challenge of the Greg Norman-designed golf course. The 11,000 square foot Golf Clubhouse will feature a restaurant, pro shop and locker rooms. Three tennis courts located near the lake will provide an enjoyable setting for tennis enthusiasts. The experience will be further enhanced through The Ritz-Carlton's Golf Concierge program, which assigns a knowledgeable and helpful attendant to each group, providing information on course yardage, food and beverage service and general resort information. Guests at both resorts will share the full range of spa, golf and dining facilities available. Grande Lakes is located 15 minutes from the Orlando International Airport, five minutes from the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center, and minutes from all the major theme parks. The pre-opening office is located at 6649 Westwood Boulevard, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32821. |
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Grande Lakes 6649 Westwood Boulevard, Suite 100 Orlando, FL http://www.grandelakes.com |