DANBURY Connecticut—Main Street Community Capital (MSCCap), a Dubuque, Iowa-based development company, has selected Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH) to manage the Mason City Hyatt Place and Conference Center. The 116-key hotel will feature a lobby bar, full-service restaurant, fitness center, indoor pool, and other brand amenities. Adjacent to the hotel, MSCCap will build a Conference Center that will connect to the Music Man Square/Meredith Wilson Museum by skywalk and accommodate 1,500 plus attendees. The project will break ground in Spring 2022 and is expected to open in Summer 2023. This is the third Hyatt Place in the Meyer Jabara Hotels portfolio.
“Main Street Community Capital is on a mission to revitalize America’s cities and towns outside of major metropolitan areas,” said MSCCap Founding Partner David-Elias Rachie. “We are one of few developers that seek out special markets or ‘Micropolitans’ like Mason City that despite its small population attracts big business and a million tourists each year. With Mason City back to pre-COVID rate and occupancy levels, we are eager to get moving on this hotel project and bring Hyatt Place—a strong business and convention brand—to this market, along with a much-needed Conference Center.”
“This is one of the first hotel projects to be financed post-COVID,” he said. “It’s a pretty big deal. Over the last year-and-a-half, we learned who will step up and work with developers and who won’t. The strength behind the Hyatt Place brand was the first ‘win.’ Bringing in Meyer Jabara Hotels to manage this asset sealed the deal. MJH has extensive experience in successfully operating Hyatt Place properties, and they are the right-size company—not too big, not too small—so the project won’t get lost in a myriad of assets. Without even breaking ground in Mason City, we are already looking forward to working with Meyer Jabara Hotels on future projects.”
Known for its musical heritage, Mason City is known for producing legendary natives, such as Meredith Wilson, writer of the 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man. The design concept for the Mason City Hyatt Place and Conference Center pays tribute to architect and Mason City resident Frank Lloyd Wright. Conceptualized by architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design firm DLR Group of Omaha, the Hyatt Place and Conference Center will infuse elements reminiscent of the area. Reflective of the landscape will be warm wood tones and colors, adding details in line and patterns reflective of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture within modern expression. Entering the hotel, there will be a sense of community as the space opens to the bar, surrounding lounge, and fireplace where guests can relax and enjoy conversations and connecting with others. Patterned flooring will enhance the bar and liven up the pre-function area, with tall wood wall screens framing the spaces.
Another design focal point is the metal main staircase, surrounded by windows and accented by a sculptural lighting element that connects guests to the main ballroom on the lobby level or supplements the meeting space above. The pre-function space has seating so event attendees can enjoy the full conference experience.
“The Mason City Hyatt Place and Conference Center will be a popular destination for business and leisure travelers alike,” said Justin Jabara, president of Meyer Jabara Hotels. “Whether people are visiting the River City to see stunning Prairie School Architecture, tour Music Man Square, examine beautiful public art, enjoy 80 miles of hiking, biking, and recreational water trails, or attend a conference, they will experience Hyatt Place like never before. We are proud to partner with Main Street Community Capital and manage this expansive facility—one that we believe will quickly become ‘the place to be’ for business, events, weddings, and leisure. It’s a prime location within Mason City, and it’s a destination that travelers will surely return to again and again.”