Orlando, Fla� June
2, 2010 - With less than four months until the opening of its highly anticipated
$450-million expansion, The Peabody Orlando has officially opened its first
floor of renovated ultra-luxurious rooms to its guests. As part of
the expansion, which is set to open September 23, all of the current guest
rooms will be renovated to include LED motion-censored night lights, 42"
LCD TVs, iPod docking stations and 19" LCD TVs in bathroom mirrors, which
will create a seamless transition in to the new tower.
In addition to the newly renovated rooms, The Peabody Orlando boasts
the following construction updates:
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Construction on the pool shell is complete at both the resort pool complex
as well as in the grotto pool at the spa.
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The landscaping has started with the installation of date palm trees at
the Convention Way Plaza, which were imported from the Yuma, Arizona desert.
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The guest tower structure is complete and furniture installation is underway.
Over 300 of the 750 new rooms have been approved and are locked off until
the opening.
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Travertine wall tiles and polished marble floors are being installed in
the new registration area, the new lobby bar and Rocks, the new 6,000-square-foot
bar overlooking the new free-formed zero-entry grotto pool.
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Napa, the Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant and bar, is currently being
framed.
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The work on The Peabody Convention and Meeting Center is concentrating
on finishes. In the Peabody Ballroom, the wall covering, acoustical
panels, custom light fixtures and movable walls are being installed.
Venetian plaster wall accents at the Grand Ballroom entrances and the frames
for custom 3-D public art are currently underway. The �eyebrow� entrance
features, tile waterfall wall in the Rotunda and wave ceiling have been
completed.
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The breakout and meeting rooms have progressed and carpet installation
is underway.
�It�s an exciting time for the hotel and Central Florida,� stated Alan
Villaverde, president of Peabody Hotels and managing director of The Peabody
Orlando. �This is a huge project for Central Florida, especially
in this tough economic environment. Over the past few years, the
construction for The Peabody Orlando expansion has aided in the creation
of 1,200 temporary construction jobs and we plan to add approximately 200
permanent full-time employees and 200 part-time staff to prepare for the
opening of our expansion. We are busy with preparations and are already
booking meetings in our new convention space, which is set to open in late
July.�
April 2010 exterior construction photo � courtesy of Balfour Beatty
Construction
When completed, The Peabody Orlando will feature 1,641 luxurious guest
rooms including 193 suites, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art,
flexible function space, the 22,000-square-foot, full-service Peabody Spa
& Athletics Club and 12 delectable dining and entertainment options.
The newly renovated guest rooms at The Peabody Orlando
About The Peabody Orlando:
The Peabody Orlando, opened in November 1986, is a staple in the Orlando-area
convention and tourism industry and famous for its Peabody Ducks. The hotel
has received the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rating for 21
consecutive years. Located directly across from and adjacent to the Orange
County Convention Center and in the heart of the International Drive entertainment
district, The Peabody Orlando currently offers 891 guest rooms, 57,000
square feet of flexible meeting space and a wide variety of dining, entertainment
and recreation opportunities. Peabody Hotels, comprising The Peabody Orlando,
The Peabody Memphis and The Peabody Little Rock (all Forbes Travel Guide
Four Star rated hotels) is a division within the portfolio Peabody Hotel
Group of Memphis, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit www.peabodyorlando.com,
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