Shaner Hotels has been selected to operate the new Marriott Hotel that will be built at the HARBORcenter site in Buffalo, New York
(TRAVPR.COM) USA - July 17th, 2013 -
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Buffalo Harbor Center Hotel Awarded
Marriott Franchise License
STATE COLLEGE, PA, July 17, 2013 - In a press conference held earlier today at the HARBORcenter site in downtown Buffalo, NY, Marriott International officials announced the award of a full-service Marriott franchise to HARBORcenter Development, LLC. Mortenson will build the hotel.
Scheduled to open in late spring 2015, the hotel will be operated by Shaner Hotels based out of State College, PA. Shaner Hotels is a developer, owner and operator that currently owns and manages 40 hotels. Twenty seven locations are Marriott franchised hotels, with full service Marriott properties in Pittsburgh, PA; Durham, NC; and Chattanooga, TN.
The hotel is adjacent to First Niagara Center, and is a key component of HARBORcenter , a mixed-use hockey and entertainment facility which will feature two full-size NHL ice rinks, a two-story restaurant, street-level retail space and a five-level 800-space parking structure. The complex, set in the city’s waterfront Canalside District, will be only minutes away from The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, Coca Cola Field, home of the AAA Minor League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, Shea’s Performing Arts Center and Kleinhans Music Hall. A short drive away is Buffalo’s number one tourist attraction, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House complex.
“We are very excited to work with the Pegulas, the HARBORcenter team, the Sabres organization and Marriott in developing and operating this exciting property,” said Lance Shaner, Chairman of the Shaner Companies. “We look forward to the hotel assisting in the growth of tourism in the downtown area and to help further establish Buffalo as one of the premier hockey markets in North America.”
The Marriott Buffalo Harbor Center will offer 205 rooms and suites, 5,000 square feet of meeting space for groups of up to 450 people, fitness center, business center, high-speed Internet, a sundry/newsstand, and the new Marriott Great Room serving three meals daily, appetizers and beverages.
“As the signature brand of Marriott International, Marriott Hotels & Resorts is one of the most recognized names in the industry,” said Kip Vreeland, Marriott’s Chief Officer, Full Service Franchising. “Building on our longstanding tradition of hospitality excellence, Marriott is re-imaging the future of travel, with expansive Great Room lobbies that help refresh and recharge; tech-enabled work spaces; and an innovative new Guest Room – a modern blend of style and comfort designed for the way guests work and play today. The result is a modern place where every need is met and exceeded.” For further information, go to www.TravelBrilliantly.com.
The Buffalo Marriott hotel will feature this contemporary style and design and innovative approaches to delivering service and amenities, featuring the new Guest Room, where style meets substance to help guests transition effortlessly from work time to downtime.
“We are thrilled that we have an agreement with Marriott and Shaner Hotels to operate our hotel facility at HARBORcenter,” said John Koelmel, President of HARBORcenter, LLC. “Our goal is to make HARBORcenter a first-class facility and we have taken a huge step toward that by aligning ourselves with a powerful brand like Marriott and the resources and proven track record that Shaner Hotels brings to its hotel facilities.”
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 3,800 properties in 74 countries and territories and reported revenues of nearly $12 billion in fiscal year 2012. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.
SHANER HOTELS – Headquartered in State College, PA, Shaner Hotels is part of the Shaner Companies, a diversified, privately held company that owns and operates investments in the lodging, finance, energy and professional services sectors. Shaner Hotels is a developer / owner / operator that currently owns and manages 40 hotels. For more information please visit the company website at www.shanercorp.com.
HARBORcenter, scheduled to open in September 2014, is a $170 million multipurpose hockey and entertainment facility that will sit directly across from First Niagara Center in downtown Buffalo’s Canalside District. The structure will be anchored by two new ice rinks, a hotel, an upscale sports restaurant and bar, additional retail space and an 850-space parking structure. HARBORcenter is expected to draw over 500,000 people to downtown Buffalo annually and will serve as a beacon for hockey in the northeast corridor of the United States and the southeastern region of Canada.
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Media Contact:
Megan Kennington
(814) 278-7585
mkennington@jlsagency.com
www.jlsagency.com
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