�We are proud to be a key part of the team that delivers a world class convention hotel to Charlotte.  Just as our other trend-setting hotels such as the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, the Marriott Marquis in Times Square and the Portman-Ritz Carlton in Shanghai have spurred urban development in their respective cities, this hotel will set the tone for other projects in Charlotte.  It is the right hotel at the right time for the right city,� said John (Jack) C. Portman II, President and CEO of John Portman & Associates.

The 700-room Westin accounts 50 percent of all new hotel rooms being built in Charlotte.  Designed to serve Charlotte�s rapidly expanding convention business, the hotel will provide more than 46,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space including more than 15 meeting rooms.  A 16,276-square foot grand ballroom will accommodate up to 1360 for banquets, and a junior ballroom will hold 590.  A 1650 space parking garage, a trolley stop and adaptable design that allows for the addition of an office building in the future will round off the project.  Other amenities the hotel will offer include an outdoor café, a health spa and indoor pool.   This design and its elements reflect the trademark that has made John Portman & Associates world renown for hotel design.

�The innovative architectural design of the hotel, its modernist style and the premium location will make this the landmark hotel in Charlotte,� said Ellis Katz, vice president and director of the hospitality studio at John Portman & Associates.  �Convention goers will have easy access to the convention site and after a long day can they hop on the trolley to enjoy Charlotte�s myriad of entertainment offerings, or chose to relax amid the casual ambiance of this four star hotel.  It will be a lodging experience that travelers will want to repeat over again and again.  It will help make every conventioneer�s choice destination�Charlotte.�

Additionally, the hotel is located and designed to serve as a gateway for the city, uniting Charlotte�s uptown with the burgeoning south side sports and entertainment district.   Acting as the connecting system bringing it all together is the hotel�s trolley stop.   This transportation feature creates ease of access to a number of points of interest in the city.

Another major asset in the innovative design is the adaptability that will allow for perhaps the addition of an office building to the site.  This planning feature reflects John Portman & Associates mixed-use philosophy of urban city development whereby in developing space for people, you create a fusion of functions allowing people the opportunity to come work, play and live in the environment.  

For John Portman & Associates, the groundbreaking culminates a two-year commitment to bring a major convention hotel to the city.  John Portman & Associates worked hand-in-hand with developers, hotel operators and city planners to plan the ideal location for the hotel and create a dynamic environment for the City�s visitors.  It was an unwavering commitment by John Portman & Associates because of its belief in the City of Charlotte�s ideal suitability for a convention hotel.

�Charlotte is a city positioned for greater growth, business expansion and foreign investment. It has a supportive business community and well planned urban infrastructure.  We are proud to be given the opportunity to bring our worldwide expertise to this world-class city.  We also realize that this could not have been achieved without the support we received from our partners in this venture�Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the City of Charlotte, the Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau, J.A. Jones and many others,� said Portman.

John Portman & Associates is a wholly owned subsidiary of Portman Holdings and has designed hotels for developments and developers all over the world.  JP & A is an Atlanta-based architectural firm specializing in hospitality, education and corporate design.  It currently has projects on three continents.