THE ELLMAN COMPANIES AND
THE NORTH CENTRAL GROUP
ANNOUNCE NEW HOTEL AT WESTGATE
The North Central Group to Develop Hotel Parcels,
One to be Completed in Time For Super Bowl XLII
GLENDALE, AZ —
Steve Ellman, Chairman and CEO of The Ellman Companies and developer of the Westgate City Center in Glendale, Arizona, announced today the sale of a nine acre hotel parcel within Westgate to The North Central Group of Madison, Wisconsin. Under the agreement, The North Central Group will develop two to three hotels at Westgate, totaling up to 450 rooms. The first hotel, a 149-room Hampton Inn & Suites, is expected to break ground in March 2007 and be completed in December 2007, in time for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Super Bowl XLII, to be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 2 and February 3, 2008 respectively. Additional hotels will be developed on this parcel within Westgate City Center over the next few years.
“With the accelerated development of the Westgate City Center and the surrounding area, and the programming that accompanies the growth of the area, our timetable for developing hotels at Westgate has also been accelerated” said Ellman. “By adding additional hotel rooms, especially in time for the Super Bowl at the stadium next door, we are yet again validating Westgate as THE new commercial city center for retail, entertainment, sports, and office uses in the West Valley.”
There are currently more than 1,300 Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels in operation as part of the Hilton Family of Brands. The Westgate Hampton Inn & Suites will feature complimentary On the House® hot breakfast; On the Run Breakfast Bags™ (M-F); Cloud Nine, the new Hampton bed experience; complimentary high-speed Internet access throughout the hotel; a Suite Shop® with microwaveable meals, travel items and more; studio suites with a kitchen area including a microwave, refrigerator and bar sink, along with a larger work area than the standard guestroom; and meeting space for up to 48 people. In addition, all guest rooms and suites feature Hampton’s signature easy-set clock radio, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. All guest stays are backed by the 100% Hampton Guarantee.
Members of the Hilton HHonorsÒ guest reward program can earn Points & MilesÔ for every qualifying stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites at Westgate. HHonors is the only hotel program that allows any of its members to Double DipÒ by simultaneously accumulating both hotel points and airline miles with each qualifying stay. Hilton HHonorsÒ provides more rewarding choices than ever before with more than 70 major airline, car rental and other travel-related companies.
“We are extremely excited to be bringing the Hampton Inn & Suites to one of the most dynamic developments in the Phoenix Valley. With the growing corporate, leisure, sports and entertainment venues occurring at Westgate, we are confident the Hampton Inn & Suites is the hotel brand best suited to meet the needs of Westgate patrons and the West Valley,” said Jeff Lenz, Executive Vice President of Development for North Central Group Hotel Investors, LLC.
The transaction was handled by Warnick & Company, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the lodging and recreational real estate industries. With offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix, the firm provides consulting, asset management, investment banking, and development management services to investors, developers, financial institutions, hotel companies, and government agencies.
"The North Central Group is a quality hotel development and management company with an established commitment and ever-growing presence in metropolitan Phoenix,” said Bob Hayward of Warnick & Company. “Their hotel development plans for Westgate will not only help to provide the quality hotel support necessary to meet the future needs at Westgate, but will further enhance the hotel product offering in the West Valley as a whole.”
ABOUT THE NORTH CENTRAL GROUP
The North Central Group currently owns and operates 18 hotels and 6 different brands throughout Arizona, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Nebraska, with 6 new hotel projects currently under construction. To learn more about The North Central Group and their hotels, visit their web site at www.ncghotels.com or call (608) 836-6060.
ABOUT WESTGATE CITY CENTER
The Westgate City Center (www.westgateaz.com) will become a super-regional destination, projected to attract approximately 26 million visitors annually. Upon completion, Westgate will include up to 6.5 million square feet of retail, entertainment, restaurants, office, residential, and hotels, making Westgate one of the largest commercial real estate developments in North America. Estimated cost for the complete build out of the Westgate City Center is over $1 billion.
Anchoring the Westgate City Center is the Jobing.com Arena (a 17,799-seat multipurpose arena that is home to the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes and the NLL's Arizona Sting), the University of Phoenix Stadium (home of the Arizona Cardinals, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the 2007 & 2011 BCS National Championship Games, and the 2008 Super Bowl), and a 320-room Renaissance Hotel with a 80,000-square-foot convention center. Phase I of the Westgate City Center (approximately 510,000 square feet of retail and loft office) opened on November 17, 2006, and includes a 4,000-seat 20-screen AMC Multiplex Cinema. For more information, please log on to www.westgateaz.com.
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Media Contacts:
Jeffrey Hecht
The Ellman Companies
(602) 667-8003
jhecht@ellmanco.com
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