ATLANTA - - May
2, 2013 - Officials today
celebrated Little Rock’s newest Marriott Hotels & Resorts property,
the
418-room Little Rock Marriott in downtown Little Rock, Ark. To
commemorate the event, the hotel hosted a special ribbon cutting
ceremony with
community and business leaders. The hotel, operated by Davidson
Hotels
& Resorts and owned by an affiliate of Fairwood Capital, will
undergo a
multi-million dollar renovation of all guest rooms and public spaces
starting
in early 2014.
“The addition of the Marriott Hotels &
Resorts flag, along with its associated accommodations, amenities and
reservation system, will better position our hotel to meet the needs
and
demands of both business and leisure travelers seeking upscale
accommodations
in the area,” said Bill Fontes, general manager. “We are the only
full-service Marriott hotel in Arkansas which we believe gives us a
significant
competitive advantage.”
Attendees included Little Rock Mayor Mark
Stodola, members of the Little Rock Board of Directors and Convention
&
Visitors Bureau, as well as a number of other civic and business
leaders.
Also in attendance were George Katz, regional vice president, and Kathy
Hood,
vice president of sales and revenue management from Davidson Hotels
& Resorts,
as well as Ed Ansbro, executive vice president and Tom Defreece, vice
president
& controller from Fairwood Capital.
Conveniently located in the heart of Little Rock’s downtown River
Market
district, the hotel is connected to the Statehouse Convention Center
and is
just minutes away from the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, the
Verizon
Arena, Old Statehouse Museum, local performing arts centers and the
Bill and
Hillary Clinton National Airport. The property boasts 418 guest
rooms, 40,000
square feet of meeting and ballroom space, a restaurant, lounge and
lobby bar.
“Little Rock is a regional magnet for business, meetings/convention and
leisure
travel,” said Ted Arps, senior vice president, Investment Management,
with
Davidson Hotels & Resorts. “After a thorough review of the
market, we
worked closely with Fairwood to select the best brand to reposition
this
hotel. The Marriott flag brings instant credibility to a great
hotel and
location, and we intend to provide the guest service and attention to
detail
for which both Marriot and Little Rock are well-known.”
About
Fairwood Capital
Fairwood Capital, LLC is a real estate investment firm focused on the
acquisition, recapitalization, and repositioning of hospitality-related
real
estate and operating platforms. The company is backed by
established
institutional capital and pursues a value-oriented investment strategy.
About
Marriott Hotels & Resort
Marriott Hotels &
Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on the road
for
discerning and high-achieving business and leisure travelers, offering
warm,
professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design;
lobby
spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; restaurants and
bars
serving international cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest
ingredients; meeting and event spaces and services that are gold
standard; and
expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels participate
in the
award winning Marriott Rewards guest loyalty program that allows
members to
earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during stays.
Join us
on Marriott Hotels & Resorts rapidly growing Facebook community (www.facebook.com/marriott)
and
follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/marriott). For more
information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com.
About Davidson
Davidson Hotels &
Resorts is an award-winning, full-service hotel management company that
provides management, development/renovation, acquisition, consulting
and
accounting expertise for the hospitality industry. The company
has
amassed one of the purest full-service hotel portfolios in the
industry,
ranging from the upper-upscale to near-luxury segments; encompassing 46
upscale, full-service independent and branded hotels with over 13,000
rooms
across the United States, including such affiliations as Marriott,
Renaissance,
Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites,
Sheraton,
Westin, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, and Radisson.
Additional information on Davidson may be found at the company’s Web
site, www.davidsonhotels.com.