MERRILLVILLE, Ind.—White Lodging Services Corporation hosted a groundbreaking celebration for a second Westin hotel in Austin, Texas. The Westin Austin Downtown broke ground last month and is scheduled to open in Spring 2015. The 20-story, 366-room Westin hotel is a joint venture between White Lodging Services Corporation, the Harry Whittington family, and REI Real Estate Services.
“This hotel represents yet another example of our commitment to continued growth with the dynamic city of Austin as we create hundreds of well-paying construction and more than 140 permanent jobs upon opening in the spring of 2015,” said Deno Yiankes, White Lodging president and CEO, investments and development.
Local elected officials, business leaders, and representatives from Austin’s hospitality industry attended the event adjacent to the site.
“We’re excited about Starwood and White Lodging bringing another first class project to Austin,” said Bob Lander, Austin CVB president and CEO. “The addition of this top tier brand to our downtown gives conventioneers, leisure and business travelers more choices and of course, adds much needed capacity for major events that are drawn to central Texas.”
The Westin Austin Downtown will be located near the city’s convention center. Hotel facilities will include an American regional kitchen and bar, featuring and committed to local, artisan ingredients within a contemporary design. Also, the hotel will have a fitness center and 15,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. The hotel will also feature a rooftop pool and bar.
In addition to helping meet an ever-growing demand for hotel rooms, the Westin will generate significant economic benefits, including roughly $6.3 million in taxes annually.
