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R.D. Olson Development Breaks Ground on $50 Million 210-room
Courtyard by Marriott at Irvine Spectrum in California

A July 2014 Completion is Planned

Irvine, CA – May 3, 2013
R.D. Olson Development broke ground today on its latest hotel development, the 210-room Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, CA. Executives from R.D. Olson Development, Irvine Company, architecture firm WATG and Marriott International joined civic leaders from Orange County at the ceremonial groundbreaking. The new hotel represents the Southern California debut of Marriott’s latest Gen Next design and features an interior design theme that pays tribute to the rich history of the Irvine Ranch.

Construction will be performed by R.D. Olson Construction and is planned for completion in July 2014. R.D. Olson Development will retain ownership of the hotel upon completion, with Marriott International providing management services.

The new design features a reinvented lobby centered on the concept of Refreshing Business, fusing high-tech, high-style and greater functionality. Welcome pedestals replace the traditional front desk to create a more inviting reception for guests. An interactive GoBoard™ displays news, weather, traffic, local restaurants and other items of interest for guests, while semi-enclosed Media Pods feature individually controlled flat-panel TVs and offer a place to work, meet or relax.

“Marriott has done an outstanding job at anticipating guest needs and continually reengineering the lodging experience for business and leisure travelers,” said Bob Olson, CEO and founder of R.D. Olson Development.

The Bistro, a new food and beverage concept, will serve Starbucks coffees, full breakfast and lunch, and offer quick serve dining in a relaxed atmosphere. The hotel’s full service lounge is the perfect place for guests to meet before walking across the street to the many restaurant options at Spectrum Center, the premier outdoor retail center in South Orange County. Van service is also an option for guest transportation.

Guest rooms include technology features at the forefront of hotel design, including WiFi, big screen TVs with full connectivity, convenience plugs, iPhone/iPod docking stations and more.

The eight-story, 131,667-square-foot hotel is designed with a room mix that includes 94 king beds, 14 executive corner suites and 102 double queen bed configurations. The room mix caters equally well to weekday business guests and weekend leisure and group travelers, with more than half of the rooms able to accommodate multiple occupancy. Guest rooms will offer views of Saddleback Mountain, Laguna Canyon or Spectrum Center.

Public area amenities include a large lap pool measuring 75 feet by 35 feet, six technology-laden pool cabanas, a spa area, fire pits and a putting green. A 1,500-square-foot fitness center is equipped with the latest in cardio machines, weights and CrossFit workout gear. Additional amenities include a lounge area and bar, guest laundry and convenience market. The new Courtyard hotel will also offer 8,500 square feet of meeting space, including a 5,000-square-foot ballroom with a generous pre-function area, a 3,000-square-foot events lawn and a boardroom for private gatherings.

The Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum will have a favorable economic impact on the area, generating roughly $1 million in transient bed tax revenue annually and creating 50 to 60 new full-time and part-time jobs.

Located on a 4.5-acre parcel at the corner of Alton Parkway and Irvine Center Drive, the Courtyard by Marriott is in the heart of the Irvine Spectrum and is easily reached via the San Diego (I-405) Freeway at Irvine Center Drive, Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway at Alton Parkway and Laguna Canyon Road (SR-133). Laguna Beach and Newport Beach are close by, as is John Wayne Airport, University of California, Irvine and Disneyland.

The $50 million Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum will serve the growing demand for lodging regionally and from the 5,000-acre Irvine Spectrum, home to a 24 million-square-foot office and industrial market.

“We have worked with R.D. Olson and Marriot to create a hotel uniquely suited to the Irvine Spectrum and the needs of our office customers there,” said Steve Case, executive vice president of Irvine Company Office Properties. “With a design that speaks to modern, tech-savvy business travelers, this hotel is another step in the evolution of the Irvine Spectrum, with its mix of world-class office buildings, apartments, shopping and entertainment.”

As is customary for all R.D. Olson Development hotels, the Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum is designed around a theme that pays tribute to the local area, in this case the iconic Irvine Ranch. The interior design celebrates the rich history of the Irvine Ranch through art, photography and the use of recycled woods intermixed with high tech finishes and materials.

“The hotel theme pays respect to the generations of land stewardship that have shaped development on the Irvine Ranch,” said Olson.

The Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum was designed by the renowned international architecture firm WATG, specialists in hospitality design. The Irvine office of WATG is recognized for their design of numerous Orange County hotels, including the Ritz Carlton, Hyatt Huntington, Hilton Huntington and Marriott Newport Coast. The firm recently renovated the St. Regis property with its Wimberly Interiors group, who is also performing interior architecture for the Courtyard Irvine Spectrum.

“It was a great experience to work with Bob Olson and his RDOD team on the Marriott Courtyard,” said Perry Brown, senior vice president at WATG. “Originally, we started with a design idea based on the history of Irvine Ranch; however, we allowed it to grow into a vision that communicates the future of the area. We are proud of the design outcome and how it is incorporated into the Irvine Community vernacular”.

R.D. Olson Development began developing hotels in 1997 and has been especially active over the past two years, including the recent completions of Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Oceanside and Goleta, CA and Maui, HI. The Irvine, CA-based developer has also recently opened Residence Inn by Marriott hotels in San Juan Capistrano, Oceanside and Burbank, CA.

Olson currently has two additional Marriott-flagged hotels under development at Tustin Pacific Center, a 149-room Residence Inn and a 145-room Fairfield Inn & Suites. Located at the Costa Mesa (I-55) Freeway in Tustin, CA, that project is slated for a July 2013 completion.

“Bob Olson and Joe Martelli have been fantastic partners, and we are extremely excited about this new Courtyard at Irvine Spectrum,” said Eric Jacobs, chief development officer of Marriott’s Select Service and Extended Stay division. I personally worked in the Spectrum for years and have always wanted to see one of our hotels in the Spectrum.”

“Bob's vision for this project is just what the market has been asking for,” added Jacobs. “Bob is partnering with Marriott on this project to feature Courtyard's new room design and interior design package. This will truly be a brand builder for Courtyard, and we’re proud to have our brand on Bob Olson’s hotels."

This past week, R. D. Olson Development presented a proposal to the Newport Beach City Council to redevelop the site of the former Newport Beach City Hall with a 130-room hotel, the Lido House Hotel. Showcasing a “Newport Nautical” theme, the hotel development received broad support from members of the community. Olson, who is also a longtime Newport Beach resident, presented a unique local perspective with the vision of creating a true gateway to the Newport Peninsula.

About R.D. Olson Development

Based in Irvine, CA, R.D. Olson Development is engaged in the development and repositioning of commercial properties nationwide. A specialist in developing hospitality properties, the firm also develops office, retail, multifamily and recreational projects. Robert Olson founded R.D. Olson Development in 1997 following nearly 20 years as founder and CEO of R.D. Olson Construction. The firm’s portfolio of developments may be viewed at www.rdodevelopment.com

About R.D. Olson Construction

Founded by Bob Olson in 1979, R.D. Olson Construction is one of the top 50 general contracting firms in California. R.D. Olson Construction is a premier builder of hotel properties for several national hoteliers, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, and Starwood. The firm most recently completed construction on the LEGOLAND® hotel in Carlsbad, CA, the first of its kind in North America. R.D. Olson Construction is also an experienced builder of office, retail, restaurant, multifamily and recreational projects. www.rdolson.com
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Contact:

IDEA HALL
Randy Hall | 714-263-8723
[email protected]
Megan Barry | 714-263-8736
[email protected]

           



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Also See: R.D. Olson Development and Wynmark Company Open the 106-room, $28 Million, Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Santa Barbara County, California / August 2012

R.D. Olson Development Breaks Ground on $60 million Tustin Pacific Center, a Mixed-Use Development in Tustin, California; Project Includes Two Hotels, a 149-room Residence Inn by Marriott and a 145-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott / August 2012

R.D. Olson Construction Breaks Ground on First Kahului Airport Hotel, the 138-room Courtyard by Marriott Maui in Hawaii / July 2011

Major League Baseball Players and R.D. Olson Development Pitch $25 million Courtyard by Marriott in Oceanside, California / December 2010

R.D. Olson Development Completes Acquisition of the Timber Cove Inn on the Northern California Coast; Plans Complete Refurbishment, Appoints Pacifica Hotel Company as Manager / August 2008

R.D. Olson Development Sells the Marriott Residence Inn, Burbank and Marriott Residence Inn, Oceanside to Apple REIT 8 for $80 million / May 2008

Shea Properties and R.D. Olson Developing Three Hotels at Legacy Park, the Former Tustin, California Marine Corps Air Station; Includes a Full-service Kimpton Hotel and Two Unnamed Select-service Hotels / March 2008
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