CINCINNATI – December 11, 2014 Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., one of the leading hotel management companies in the hospitality industry, has been chosen to manage the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel being developed by SouthEast Group in the historic urban core area of Jacksonville, Florida.

“We’re pleased to play a key role in Jacksonville’s downtown growth,” said Mike Conway, President, Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., “and we’re proud to be a part of this historic development effort with the SouthEast Group.”

The Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Downtown is part of an adaptive re-use of three historical buildings known as the Laura Street Trio. The hotel will feature 131 rooms, a rooftop bar, and two new restaurants. It will be surrounded by a multi-family development, retail and office complex. The building is being renovated to maintain the detail of the original structure that was built in the early 1900’s, with appropriate updates through contemporary construction and design. The Trio is on the National Register of Historic Places, the official listing of historically significant sites and properties throughout the country.

“We have looked at all the options within the hospitality industry and Marriott’s appeal to us was very strong with this type of product,” said developer Steve Atkins, principal and managing director of SouthEast Group. “We know Winegardner & Hammons will provide the full-service hospitality and progressive management we need for the Courtyard by Marriott in the Laura Street Trio.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2015.