ATLANTA—Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) has announced a management contract to operate the Delta Norman by Marriott in Norman, Oklahoma. The 150-room former Norman Hotel will convert to the Delta by Marriott brand as one of the first Delta hotels in the US. It is located at 1000 N. Interstate Drive, only a few minutes from the University of Oklahoma campus.
Marriott announced its acquisition of the Delta Hotels and Resorts brand at the New York University International Hospitality Industry Conference in June of 2015. The Delta brand, formerly located exclusively in Canada, encompasses a rich Canadian history. The hotel in Norman, OK will be the first of the brand located west of the Mississippi. The conversion of the former Norman Hotel is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter 2017. Premier Hospitality Management, Inc. (PHMI) is the owner of the property.
“Bringing one of the first Delta brand hotels in the nation to Norman and the University of Oklahoma, my alma mater, is exciting both personally and for our organization,” said Raj Patel, president and CEO of PHMI. “Our strategic partnership with Hotel Equities has helped us secure an agreement with Marriott International to convert one of the city’s largest hotels into a regional icon with this exciting new brand. It will be a pacesetter for the area.”
Located within minutes of the area’s top corporations, the Delta by Marriott Norman claims an ideal location that is sure to attract both business and leisure guests. The hotel offers over 7,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and an indoor pool and fitness center. The Norman area offers University of Oklahoma Sooner sporting events as an additional draw and is complemented by several first-rate, family-friendly museums, such as the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
“We thought long and hard about choosing the right brand for this market,” said Joe Reardon, HE Sr. vice president of marketing & business development. “Remembering the launch of Delta at NYU last year, we knew it would be the perfect fit. We’re excited to kick it off as the first of its brand in the Midwest.”
Besides the Orlando hotel, Marriott plans to expand Delta’s hospitality globally to major gateway cities including New York, Shanghai, and London. The development will bring the brand’s offering to a total of 80 hotels.
