European hotel chain Le Meridien is headed to Hayden Ferry Lakeside in Tempe with an expected check-in date of November 2008.
Tuesday's announcement, was made in conjunction with parent company Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.
Le Meridien Senior Vice President Eva Ziegler said the hotel will be chic, subtle, sophisticated, understated and elegant. "We're about the forward-looking, contemporary style of Europe/France," Ziegler said.
The 183-room, 14-story hotel will include 44 residential units on top of the property with access to Le Meridien amenities.
A joint venture between Valhalla Development Corp., Sierra Hospitality and Adobe Development Partners, the hotel will be operated by APMC. Bent Severin Design, which has designed Westin Tokyo, Sheraton Bahrain and Sherton Warsaw, will join with hotel architects Callison Group of Seattle on the project.
Ziegler said "passion points" for Le Meridien developments are fashion, art, architecture and food. The chain strives for quality and professionalism, he said. "We want to grow our footprint ... in the North American market. We desire the creative guest. The open-minded, forward-looking person who enjoys life."
SunCor Development Co. Hayden Ferry Lakeside is a $160 million, 17-acre, 1.95 million-square-foot master-planned, mixed-use project on the south shore of Tempe Town Lake.
Currently, an eight-story, 209,000-square-foot Class A office building anchored by Smith Barney, and the eight-story, 40-unit condominium Edgewater at Hayden Ferry Lakeside are up and in use. Another office building and the Bridgeview condo project are under way. Two additional condo towers, designed to give the illusion of cruise ships, are planned.
SunCor President and Chief Executive Steven A. Betts said a hotel has been planned at the site from the beginning, pointing out its proximity to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, freeways and various attractions. "We really are the geographic center of the Valley."
The hotel, he said, "is giving Hayden Ferry an international flair." The city's desire for a world-class hotel has long been known. Hayden Ferry received about two dozen, unsolicited hotel proposals. "They were nice, but not quite nice enough ... they didn't have the international flavor and quality we wanted," Betts said.
Earnest money, agreements with the hotel franchise, the developer, management and proper entitlements were in place before the announcement was made Tuesday, said Margaret E. Kirch, SunCor executive vice president for commercial development.
Arizona Office of Tourism Director Margie Emmermann said the hotel fits the state's new brand image: "Inspiring unforgettable Southwest moments."
Le Meridien, she said, allows the state to better compete not only within in the United States, but in the international marketplace. "It gives us enhanced bragging rights," she said. "Visitors want new experiences and great experiences."
Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, who returned to Tempe Aug. 6 after a trip to Russia, called the hotel a "global hitter," adding it marks Tempe and the region a "truly cosmopolitan and global player."
Tempe Councilman Mark Mitchell said the hotel "is a vital component to bringing people to Tempe who might not come otherwise."
Mitchell said Tempe has embraced the new and improved Phoenix Convention Center and sees itself as a regional partner in convention business. "We complement each other. They can do breakout sessions here and vice versa."
Ziegler said she was especially excited by the Tempe site because it is not a conversion and offers a chance for the developer and Le Meridien to define a "flagship" together.
Le Meridien was founded by Air France in 1972 and was acquired by Starwood last November. Starwood also owns The Phoencian, Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa and the soon-to-open W Scottsdale and W Phoenix. Le Meridien has more than 120 properties in 52 countries. Other U.S. hotel locations include Los Angeles, Florida, San Francisco and New York.
Anyone know more details about this hotel? From what I can see, its pretty famous in Europe.