State officials seek developers for new Savannah convention hotel (Atlanta: real estate, 2015)

[Airforceguy]

I hope the state will have better luck than the county did....

State officials are seeking developers for a new 300- to 500-room convention hotel next to the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.
The Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), on behalf of the Georgia International and Maritime Trade Center Authority, put out a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the project on Monday.he hotel would come to a site on Hutchinson Island along the Savannah River. It would sit in walking distance to the convention center and would be accessible by car and a planned ferry stop.

According to a 2015 study by PFK Hospitality Research, a 300-room hotel is estimated to cost $66.3 million, or $224,000 per key. The project would be privately funded, with "minimal or no public subsidy," according to the RFQ.
The hope is the hotel, by adding rooms and meeting space to the market, could bring more convention business to Savannah. PKF estimates with the addition of 300 hotel rooms, it could grow the number of event days at the convention center from 490 to 516. That would help boost revenue.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/r...-savannah.html

[Airforceguy]

Four firms have submitted bids...

In the most recent study, begun in 2014, PKF Hospitality Research of Atlanta indicated Hutchinson Island will need at least 300 more hotel rooms if the trade center is to grow its convention business.

Smith had no additional comments on the applicants, but said he was pleased to see that CWT, which is a combination of CSX Realty Co,, the Westin and Troon-golf, chose to participate in the bid requests.

The remaining firms have completed projects around the globe and have diverse portfolios ranging from hotel development and office space to residential and commercial centers:

• Massachusetts-based HAAD/Arcadd Inc. was established in 1986 and specializes in public facility design including renovation and new construction projects. Their portfolio includes the Westin Hotel in Boston and an array of international projects in Kabul, Libya and Baghdad.

• Capella Hotel Group was established in 2002 and offers hospitality services under four profiles, Capella Hotels, Solis Hotels, Independent Hotels and Spas. The group manages properties across the globe including, The Lough Eske Castle in Ireland, Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali and The Hotel at Auburn University in Alabama.

• Songy Highroads, also based in Atlanta, which began in 2010, is a commercial real estate firm that acquires, renovates, develops, and manages real estate projects throughout the southeast. Past projects include hotels for Hilton and Marriott as well as office and residential projects.

4 firms compete for new hotel | BiS | Business in Savannah News