Dothan, AL � July 16, 2010 � The Village of River Ranch today added
another feather to its innovative community cap as city officials and developers
drove gold-tipped shovels into the ground to celebrate the construction
start of the new 103-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott.
Introduced to River Ranch by Dothan, Ala.-based developer LBA Hospitality
and brokered by Covington, La.-based Stirling Properties, the hotel will
be built by Hollis & Spann Construction. LBA Hospitality will
manage the hotel, which is slated for a spring 2011 opening.
The hotel site is on Settlers Trace Blvd., just west of Camellia Boulevard.
| L to R: Hayne Hollis, president, Hollis Spann, Inc.; Joey
Durel, City-Parish president, Consolidated Government of Lafayette;
Keith Patin, council member, Lafayette City-Parish Council; Beau
Benton, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Larry
Blumberg & Associates/ LBA Hospitality; and Robert W Daigle,
president, River Ranch Development Co. |
Beau Benton, LBA Hospitality�s executive vice president and chief operating
officer, said that the new SpringHill Suites by Marriott at River Ranch
reflects LBA�s expertise in placing right-timed hotel products in right-timed
locations.
�We�ve refined the SpringHill Suites prototype to create a combination
of high style, New Urbanism savvy and affordability for people visiting
River Ranch for business or pleasure,� said Benton. �While all of
Acadiana is known for fun, food and great hospitality, Lafayette seems
to be its vibrant center; and this new, all-suite, Marriott-branded hotel
will certainly blend right into that joie de vivre spirit."
Robert W. Daigle, principal of River Ranch Development Co., said, �Adding
a major-brand hotel to River Ranch was always a goal. We were just
waiting for the perfect combination of timing, product and partners.�
SpringHill Suites by Marriott-River Ranch
Visitors to the new SpringHill Suites by Marriott will enter a contemporarily
sleek, stylish lobby that combines smart form and function. Part of the
�smart� is a planned outdoor terrace enclosed by a living green wall.
Guest suites will be 25% larger than traditional hotel rooms, offering
areas for sleeping, working and relaxing. Specific features will
include a 37-inch flat-screen HC LCD TV, iPod docking station, mini-fridge,
microwave and coffeemaker, and spa-modeled bathrooms. Free WiFi will be
provided throughout the hotel. A 24/7 market for healthy snacks,
drinks and basic travel amenities, expanded fitness area and outdoor swimming
pool will round out the hotel�s features.
LBA Hospitality
Larry Blumberg & Associates, Inc./LBA Hospitality (LBA) and its
subsidiaries are a group of companies providing comprehensive hotel development
and management services. The company operates more than 64 hotels,
primarily in the southeastern U.S., from its corporate office in Dothan,
Ala. LBA has developed and operated hotels for over 35 years, with
a background and culture that has evolved through the eyes of an owner
focused on maximizing return, safeguarding assets and enhancing value.
LBA�s hands-on involvement creates a personalized, effective working
relationship between the property and management company that translates
into high standards and award-winning service. Along with the new
SpringHill Suites by Marriott at River Ranch, LBA once again made a mark
on innovation last year with the construction start of the nation�s first
Home2Suites by Hilton in Fayetteville, N.C.
The Village of River Ranch
A true lifestyle community, The Village of River Ranch lies to the
south of the Vermilion River in the heart of southern Louisiana in the
city of Lafayette. Designed by award-winning architect Steve Oubre, The
Village of River Ranch integrates New Urbanism with the rich heritage and
culture of Louisiana.
A mixture of architectural styles reflect the diversity of Louisiana�s
people and customs. Shopping, dining and professional services are
conveniently located within walking distance of each other, and all within
an aesthetic atmosphere combining Main Street America with an urban twist.
More than 2,500 people call The Village of River Ranch home, and an
additional 2,000 come to the community to work and play every day.
Stirling Properties
For more than three decades, Stirling Properties has served the Gulf
South by offering comprehensive services in development, commercial brokerage,
property and asset management, investment sales, property owner and tenant
representation and residential sales and services. The SpringHill Suites
project is just another example of how Charles Cornay, senior commercial
associate for Stirling Properties who worked with LBA Hospitality in brokering
the hotel project, has made a mark on Acadiana�s growth, jobs and economic
development.
Over the past 14 years, Mr. Cornay has served as a trusted advisor
for a many companies looking to locate or expand in the Acadiana area.
His numerous sales and leasing transactions include brokering for general
office space, major and specialty retailers, apartments and restaurants.
His talent for matching the interests of the community with the objectives
of commercial developers help create better places to work, live and enjoy.
