Luxury Resort Destination Will Boast Over 110,000 Square-Feet of Meeting & Event Space
Miami, Fl. – October 11, 2005 – Already one of Miami’s premier luxury resort destinations, Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort, took on a new dimension as executives from CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc., the property owner, and Marriott International officially broke ground on a new 60,000 square-foot conference & meeting facility, featuring a 24,000 square-foot ballroom. With the addition of this facility on property, Doral will feature more than 110,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor event space, suitable to host multiple group functions of many sizes.
The new $25 million facility, which is scheduled to open in early 2007, is expected to increase Doral’s overall revenue through increased golf rounds, lodging reservations, restaurant business and spa treatments.
"This exciting new facility, combined with our existing meeting and convention space, will allow us to significantly expand our offerings for corporate meetings, incentive related events, medical and pharmaceutical events, and further enhance Doral’s position as one of the country’s premier golf resort & spa destinations," said Frank Garahan, General Manager, Doral Golf Resort & Spa.
By adding an additional 60,000 square-foot facility, along with Doral’s five championship golf courses and the largest spa in the Marriott portfolio, the resort anticipates attracting meetings and special events of all sizes. Garahan adds, "With this new, high-tech meeting and event space, coupled by our legendary service and Marriott’s reputation in the meeting business, we expect to be on the A-list for every group considering the South East United States for their events."
The new self-contained facility, which features both indoor and outdoor pre-function space, will be highlighted by a state-of-the-art kitchen facility, enabling meeting planners to interact with Doral’s renowned chefs as they prepare menu selections available for each event. Further, the 24,000 square-foot ballroom can be sectioned into 12 break-out rooms, offering meeting planners a variety of options when planning their event.
For the golf enthusiast, Doral is host of the PGA TOUR’s Ford Championship at Doral and one of the leading golf resorts in the country to feature five championship courses on property.
John A. Griswold, President and Chief Operating Officer of CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc., stated, "While Doral’s world-class golf and spa offerings will be complemented by a new ballroom and meeting space, we are also completing a number of reinvestment projects including enhancements to the pool area and guest-room bedding, in addition to recent improvements made to the "Great White" golf course. We believe these collective development efforts will help to strengthen the resort’s competitive advantage as a premier destination resort, and further affirms CNL’s and Marriott’s commitment to enrich the overall guest experience."
Surrounded by green fairways and shimmering lakes, Doral Golf Resort & Spa is an oasis of luxury in the South Florida sun. Situated on 650 acres, with 90,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, Doral boasts a plethora of first-class amenities highlighted by the European-inspired Spa at Doral. Combining old-world charm with a thoroughly modern selection of services (including more than 100 different luxurious spa treatments, a registered dietician/ nutritionist and state-of-the-art exercise center), the Spa is recognized as one of the world’s best by Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List. Complementing the Spa is Doral’s distinctive golf experience, highlighted by five championship golf courses "on property," including the famed Blue Monster, host of the PGA TOUR’s Ford Championship at Doral. Adding to the on-site Doral experience is the acclaimed Jim McLean Golf Center, five restaurants and lounges, and nine retail outlets.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with over 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 69 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Ramada International and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 128,000 employees. In fiscal year 2003, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $9 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
CNL HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. owns one of the most distinctive portfolios in the lodging industry. With a focus on luxury resorts and upper-upscale properties, the company has approximately $5.8 billion in total assets with 94 hotels and resorts across North America that operate under independent brands and corporate brands such as Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. For more information, please visit www.cnlhotels.com.
Contact:
Michele Kruchkowski
mkruchkowski@mastrocomm.com
Heather Pennetti
hpennetti@mastrocomm.com
Mastro Communications
(732) 469-5700