DALLAS—Omni Hotels and Resorts and Louisville Metro Government announced they have entered into an agreement to develop a 600-room convention center hotel in downtown Louisville, Ky. Situated one block from Kentucky International Convention Center, the new Omni Louisville Hotel will be the first four-diamond, luxury hotel in the area, and will feature 600 guestrooms and suites, 70,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, fitness center, two full-service restaurants, rooftop pool-side café, street level retail venue, and a lobby lounge. The hotel is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification.
Located on Water Company Block, the hotel will be the cornerstone in the city’s most exclusive entertainment, retail, and office district, Fourth Street Live!, which is Kentucky’s most visited attraction drawing more than 4.5 million visitors per year. The Cordish Companies, the developer of Fourth Street Live!, will work with Omni in partnership with the city and state to develop the $261-million dynamic, mixed-use complex. It will also feature residential apartments, a flagship grocery store-anchored retail, and an underground parking garage that will serve all three entities. The project will be funded through the public/private partnership, with the land to be donated to Omni and The Cordish Companies.
“This project is a major infusion in our downtown and to the city’s entire economy,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “It will create jobs, both temporary construction positions and permanent jobs, and it will boost our convention and tourism industry as Omni provides a new level of luxury hotel.”
“We are pleased to announce the development of the Omni Louisville Hotel,” said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels and Resorts. “Louisville is a thriving city, and we are ready to work in partnership with the city and The Cordish Companies to develop a full-service, four-diamond hotel that will bring more meetings and conventions, as well as business and leisure travelers to the area.”
The hotel is scheduled to open in 2017 and will be the first Omni property in Kentucky. Omni will focus on creating exceptional local experiences for its guests by showcasing the local flair of Louisville throughout the hotel’s design and décor, culinary, and retail venue. In addition to the 70,000 square feet of meeting space planned for the hotel, meeting and convention attendees will have access to an additional 300,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space at the Kentucky International Convention Center.
“The addition of a four-diamond Omni convention hotel, downtown grocery store, and upscale apartments will be a major catalyst for growing the city’s convention business and helping to make the downtown a 24-7 community,” said Cordish vice president Blake Cordish. “We are incredibly proud to play a role in the revitalization of downtown and we are committed, in partnership with the city, state and Omni, to develop a best-in-class development that will be a source of pride for the community.”
Photo credit: Louisville Skyline via BigStock
