Meeting News - February 11, 2008 - (Page 37)

Destination Insider: New Mexico Edited by Rayna Katz rayna.katz@nielsen.com Revamped La Posada to Reopen…Really Albuquerque’s prolonged wait for extra rooms around the convention center ﬁnally comes to an end with the relaunch of venerable hotel later this fall Despite the disbelief of naysayers, the former La Posada de Albuquerque Hotel will finally reopen later this year. Set to operate under a yetto-be-announced name, the hotel will debut 104 guest rooms this fall following a $24-million refurbishment. Though small, the property will alter the complexion of Albuquerque’s citywide room block, particularly since the hotel is across the street from the Albuquerque Convention Center, said Tom Garrett, marketing consultant for Gemstone Hotels/La Posada. “The room quantity near the center has been a challenge for the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau,” he said. “This gives the bureau 80 more committable rooms, which allows the city to go from hosting groups of 300 people up to hosting groups of 400 people.” Shuttered since 2005, La Posada in recent years provided debate fodder for residents, many of whom insisted the hotel would never operate again. But, in fact, the property was purchased three years ago by a commercial real estate developer, and extensive work has been taking place ever since. The hotel’s decor will incorporate Moroccan and Spanish colonial inﬂuences and will feature a mezzanine-level cultural center honoring New Mexico’s 19 Native American Pueblos. The renovation is expected to preserve the building’s history and charm while modernizing its technology and environmental sustainability—the latter of which is allowing the hotel to achieve Silver LEED certiﬁcation. On the National Register of Historic Places, La Posada debuted in 1939 as a Hilton hotel; it was created by Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton, who was from Albuquerque. At the time, the hotel had 160 guest rooms. Hilton later honeymooned at the hotel with Zsa Zsa Gabor in 1942 and subsequently sold the property in the 1960s. It was renamed the Plaza and operated as such until the 1980s, when it was redone and badged La Posada de Albuquerque Hotel. In its last iteration, the hotel stood at 114 guest rooms, including four suites. The room count has again been reduced to allow for larger accommodations. The newest version of the property will have 6,000 to 8,000 sf of meeting space, spread over ﬁve meeting rooms. In addition, a 98-seat restaurant will be available on property. r PH OT O: © es liti i inc ting ab s. lud cap ting in g Alb ing in mee eet / ove uque d m ip.org rque r 16 n an atr is l ,000 tio its nven hote ike no other. ww. t our co Find out more abou l room at w s and a nter n SMG-managed convention ce Am ee 20 05 DI AN E KE LS AY ,E GR ET CO MM UN ICA TIO NS http://www.itsatrip.org/meetings

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Meeting News - February 11, 2008

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