Austin, Texas, Nov. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While the Austin Convention Center closes for four years, the hospitality industry is working now to ensure that the city maintains its viability as a group and convention center destination.
White Lodging, with approximately 22% of the central business district hotel rooms in its portfolio, has the most to gain (and lose) during the closure. The AustinPlace Hotel Collection fills this temporary void by offering the largest collection of Marriott hotels in Texas and meeting space nearly reaching the size of the existing convention center.
AustinPlace offers group meeting planners and travelers a centralized connection to 10 downtown Marriott-brand hotels, which feature more than 220,000 square feet of meeting space. Meeting space includes two purpose-ready exhibition halls, nine ballrooms, and dozens of options for indoor and rooftop group dining and entertaining spaces – from fast-casual to fine dining.
“The sheer size and convenience of our downtown Austin hotel portfolio is unmatched and allows us to serve in-house groups of all sizes in the absence of the convention center,” said Chris Anderson, White Lodging’s chief commercial officer. “It’s similar to what we already do with other urban collections of hotels and restaurants across our portfolio – creating a single point of contact and seamless planning for meeting planners across a variety of brands and price points.”
AustinPlace hotels include the JW Marriott Austin and Austin Marriott Downtown, which are two of the top meeting hotels in the world, according to Cvent, and earned top spots for event satisfaction in the Marriott Convention & Resort Network collection of hotels at the end of 2023. The collection spans luxury, premium, Autograph, and select brand hotels within a walkable 10-minute loop.
AustinPlace is the Future
“AustinPlace is not only set up to make it easy for meeting planners now, but it also strategically sets us up for the anticipated influx of business to come following the game-changing rebuild of the Convention Center,” said Anderson. “It’s also equipped for reinvestment through renovations and additional hotels.”
White Lodging recently announced the 258-room Hotel Trinity, Autograph Collection, which will be the 11th hotel in the AustinPlace Collection once construction is complete by the end of 2026. According to Towers.net, Hotel Trinity is the first major groundbreaking in downtown Austin since early 2023.
The Westin Austin Downtown is in the final months of a major renovation that includes all meeting rooms, pre-function space, and guest rooms. In the second half of 2025, the Westin’s lobby will undergo the final stages of the property’s renovation, including a reinvented first-floor restaurant.
The JW Marriott Austin is undergoing a similar renovation of guest rooms and meeting spaces, as well as adding a new grab-and-go market concept to the lobby. This renovation is scheduled to finish in early 2025.
In addition to the AustinPlace Hotel Collection, White Lodging manages the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown and the Westin Austin at the Domain. The opening of Hotel Trinity will mark their 13th Austin property.
For more information on AustinPlace, please visit austinplacecollection.com. For more information on the White Lodging, please visit whitelodging.com.
| Hotel | Year Built/Renovated | Guest Rooms | Meeting Space | Dining Venues |
| JW Marriott Austin | Opening: 2015 Renovation: 2024 | 1,012 | 115,609 Sq Ft | 4 On-Site Restaurants 5 On-Site Bars |
| Austin Marriott Downtown | Opening: 2021 | 613 | 58,859 Sq Ft | 2 On-Site Restaurants 5 On-Site Bars |
| Westin Austin Downtown | Opening: 2015 Renovation: 2024 | 366 | 13,971 Sq Ft | 2 On-Site Restaurants & Bars |
| Aloft Austin Downtown & Element Austin Downtown | Opening: 2017 | 422 Aloft: 278 Element: 144 | 1,370 Sq Ft | 2 On-Site Restaurants & Bars |
| The Otis Hotel Austin, Autograph Collection & AC Hotel Austin-University | Opening: 2020 | 347 Otis: 191 AC: 156 | 7,037 Sq Ft | 2 On-Site Restaurants 3 On-Site Bars |
| Moxy Austin - University | Opening: 2021 | 162 | 1 On-Site Restaurant & Bar | |
| Courtyard Austin Downtown / Convention Center & Residence Inn Austin Downtown / Convention Center | Opening: 2006 Renovation: 2019, 2020 | 449 Courtyard: 270 Residence Inn: 179 | 6,572 Sq Ft | 1 On-Site Restaurant & Bar |
ABOUT WHITE LODGING:
White Lodging, established in 1985 by Bruce White, has evolved into one of the country’s largest privately held hospitality companies focused exclusively on highly curated urban and lifestyle properties. The company develops, owns, and manages a portfolio of brands in destination-driven markets, including Austin, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Louisville. With a focus on elevated and experiential service, White Lodging’s portfolio consists of approximately 60 premium hotels; a private collection of world-renowned luxury ranches; 50 locally relevant, award-winning restaurants; and 10 market-leading rooftop bars. White Lodging focuses on hiring and developing Hospitalitarians who are committed to exceptional service and fostering meaningful connections. White Lodging has earned the Gallup Exceptional Workplace award four times, including in 2024, and consistently is in the top J.D. Power Guest Satisfaction Benchmark listing for third-party management companies. For more information about White Lodging, visit whitelodging.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Attachments
Mike Banas White Lodging 219-472-2861 mike.banas@whitelodging.com
