RALEIGH, N.C.—Dennis Edwards, president & CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, joined government, economic development, and tourism officials to help break ground on North Carolina’s first AC Hotel by Marriott at North Hills in Midtown Raleigh.
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company and Kane Realty Corporation will build the new 135-room hotel, AC Hotel by Marriott Raleigh/North Hills, which is slated to open in first quarter of 2017. The hotel is among just 30 AC Hotels opening under the new flag in the next three years, representing Raleigh’s rise as a tourism destination.
“2014 was a record-setting year for tourism, with more than 14 million people visiting the Raleigh area, an eight percent increase over 2013,” said Edwards. “Smart, passionate locals like Concord Hospitality and Kane Realty have helped transform Raleigh into a modern lifestyle and business destination that is a perfect fit for AC Hotels.”
Marriott has approved longtime partner Concord Hospitality to open four additional AC Hotels in New York, N.Y.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; and Orlando, Fla. Concord Hospitality has partnered with Marriott International on the development of new hotel brands for the last two decades. That alignment for strategic growth and passion for delivering best in class service is represented in Concord’s achievement of winning the coveted Marriott Partnership Circle Award 10 times and this year, was inducted into Marriott’s Partnership Circle Hall of Fame for hospitality excellence.
Concord Hospitality and Kane Realty have worked together on multiple projects since 2008, including the Renaissance Raleigh and Hyatt House hotels, both located in North Hills. North Hills, Kane Realty’s redevelopment, is Raleigh’s mixed-use community, that includes high-end boutiques, well-known department stores, the Triangle’s best dining, and a year-round calendar of entertainment.
“To have AC Hotels in the Triangle is very exciting,” said John Kane, CEO of Kane Realty Corporation. “This new hotel enriches our shared vision with Concord, to create irresistible places within vibrant communities, and we believe it will be very successful here in North Hills.”
“While we have developed many hotels during the past 30 years, it is a special privilege to team with friends and respected colleagues from Marriott and Kane Realty to bring the AC Hotels vision to life in our own backyard,” said Mark Laport, co-founder, president and CEO of Concord Hospitality.
“AC Hotel by Marriott is an emerging lifestyle brand in the U.S. and appeals to design-conscious travelers that also want an experiential stay when traveling,” said Kevin McAteer, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Concord. “These travelers prefer urban and metro locations that provide guests easy, walkable access to arts and entertainment, restaurants, shops, and galleries, as is the case with Raleigh’s popular North Hills district.”
The AC Hotel Raleigh/North Hills will include an energetic public space featuring a rooftop bar and terrace that will encourage an engaging atmosphere for guests to share and connect with signature cocktails, local craft beers, specialty wines, and a curated selection of tapas-style small bites in the AC Lounge. The AC Kitchen offers a European-inspired Continental menu, with artisan sliced meats and cheeses, selection of pastries, sweet and savory egg tarts, and signature freshly baked all-butter croissants.
