Prevue November/December 2014 - (Page 70)

Washington D.C. Much-anticipated Marriott Marquis joins the city's convention center [ON LOCATION] JESSIE FETTERLING R ed, white and blue balloons fell from the footballﬁeld-size atrium skylight at the Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. on May 1, marking the ofﬁcial grand opening of Marriott's 4,000th hotel. Guests toasted the end of a much-anticipated project that the city's hospitality community and meeting planner partners have awaited for years. Building a hotel adjacent to the convention center was part of the city's plan for the area since the early 1990s. Marriott was selected to manage the hotel in 2002 and now, 12 years later, the Marriott Marquis greets the convention community. With its location adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the Marriott Marquis is now the anchor hotel for D.C. Its 1,175 guest rooms, matched by the 807-room Renaissance Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel across the street, give the city a completely new meetings package with which to attract larger groups and associations. The new hotel is predicted to generate the city $25 million annually from convention business, says Norm Jenkins, president of Capstone Development, one of the hotel owners. Meeting planners were so ready, in fact, that 700,000 group room nights were already booked before the opening. "[The Marriott Marquis] really gives you the opportunity to drive more business into this city," says Dave Nostrand, vice president, sales, The Americas. "The city could always accommodate those large groups, but now with the convenience of two hotels right next to the convention center, it gives you more opportunity and it's more desirable." Not only is the Marriot Marquis' connection to the convention center a draw, but the hotel's own 105,000 sf of meeting space spans four levels-each with its own D.C.-related theme. Its ﬁve restaurant outlets that extend from the expansive lobby offer more casual spots to network. Top execs will enjoy The Dignitary, a sophisticated whiskey lounge with traditional brick walls, red leather chairs and a menu of more than two dozen bourbons-some so rare they cost $80 a glass. Attendees can also participate in the hotel's Dining Your Way take on the traditional room-service concept. While the hotel offers 24-hour food service, guests can pick up their food or have it delivered in a bag for a more casual in-room dining experience. Guests can also eat in one of the communal lobby spaces such as the Great Room, which has a ﬁreplace and views of the 56-foot-tall "Birth of the American Flag" lobby centerpiece-the largest sculpture in any Marriott hotel. MARRIOTT EXPANDS IN D.C. MARKET The Marriott Marquis is one of six D.C. hotels within Marriott's 60-property Convention & Resort Network, created to build consistency within convention services and catering across all Marriott hotel brands. The company is also using the 66 | prevue magazine 66-67_Marriott Marquis DC.indd 66 10/31/14 3:15 PM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November/December 2014

Planner’s Pick: Perez Art Museum, Miami
Fresh Meets: The Evolution of Starwood
Bureau Buzz: Getting to Know Cincinnati
Good Business: Fighting Human Traffi cking
Sea Shores: Cruising Gets Real
The New Local
IMEX 2014
SPECIAL SECTION: ASIA/PACIFIC
SHERATON MACAO
TORCHBEARERS
ENGLAND
On Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
On Location: Destination: D.C.
On Location: Generations Riviera Maya

Prevue November/December 2014