North Carolina
CAPE FEAR COASTWilmington
Hilton Wilmington Riverside & Riverview Suites: A renovation and expansion project, expected to be completed in November 2007, will include the addition of two restaurants, a Starbucks counter and a riverside fitness center.
Wilmington Convention Center: Officials in the city manager’s office said they expected to break ground on the new convention center in summer of 2007, with completion estimated at 2009 or 2010.
Wrightsville Beach
Blockade Runner Beach Resort Hotel: Summit Hospitality’s new ownership of the property will bring renovations and upgrades to sleeping rooms and bathrooms, set for completion in early 2008.
Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach: The 184-room resort reopened in April after seven months of renovations. Upgrades to guest rooms include new furniture, wall coverings and carpet.
END: CAPE FEAR COAST Cary
The Umstead Hotel & Spa: The luxury property opened this year with 16,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space.
Chapel Hill
Courtyard By Marriott Chapel Hill: New hotel is located adjacent to the Friday Center and one half mile from Meadowmont Village. The hotel offers meeting space for up to 120 attendees, theater style.
Franklin Hotel: New luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of Chapel Hill’s historic downtown area. The hotel features more than 2,300 square feet of meeting and event space.
Rizzo Conference Center: Recently completed a renovation/expansion that doubled the center’s guest rooms to 120 and brought the meeting space to 20,000 square feet.
Charlotte
Visit Charlotte: The NASCAR Hall of Fame broke ground in January 2007 and is expected to open in late 2009. The hall of fame is being built adjacent to the 850,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center, which will become a hub on Charlotte’s new light-rail line this fall. The hall of fame will offer unique meeting spaces for group functions.
Charlotte Marriott Executive Park: Nearing completion of a $7 million redo that would update the 297-room hotel with more than 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
Charlotte Center City: Completing a $25 million renovation of all 401 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of event space.
Hilton Charlotte Executive Park: A $7 million renovation has added Hilton’s upgraded bedding and other amenities to the hotel that offers more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Hilton Charlotte University Place: A recent $8 million renovation included all 393 guest rooms, function space, public areas and restaurants.
Omni Charlotte Hotel: Guest room renovations were completed at the 374-room hotel with 16,460 square feet of event space. On tap for the rest of the year are renovations of the lobby, restaurant and smaller meeting rooms.
Concord
Cabarrus County CVB (800) 848-3740;
Online Listing;
www.visitcabarrus.com The new, 308-room Embassy Suites Hotel Resort and Conference Center Charlotte - Concord opened in January overlooking the Rocky River Golf Club. The center offers more than 42,000 square feet of event space, including a 28,800-square-foot-ballroom.
Durham & Research Triangle Park
Durham CVB: Work is progressing on the 110,000-square-foot, 2,800-seat Durham Performing Arts Center, which is set to open in late 2008. The center will become part of Durham’s American Tobacco Historic District, a mixed-use redevelopment project.
Doubletree Guest Suites: The property just completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of all guest rooms and upgrades to meeting space, public areas, pools, the restaurant and lobby, with plans of new equipment in the fitness center.
Durham Marriott Hotel & Durham Civic Center: Renovations to guest rooms are expected to be complete in March 2008, and renovations to meeting space are estimated for completion in July 2008.
Four Points by Sheraton Durham at Southpoint: New Four Points Hotel has 98 rooms, including 23 suites; each room features wireless Internet access, 32-inch flat-screen TVs and Four Points by Sheraton four Comfort Beds; business center, fitness center, indoor pool and sundeck also on property; adjacent to the Southpoint Mall.
Greensboro
Carolina Theatre: CVB officials announced in August that Durham’s Carolina Theatre reopened following renovations.
Proximity Hotel: Scheduled to open this fall with 147 rooms, the hotel has been designed for energy and water efficiency without sacrificing guest comfort. The hotel features 4,000 square feet of rooftop solar panels to heat water and will utilize 40 percent less energy and 35 percent less water than a comparable hotel, according to hotel officials. Proximity will offer 7,300 square feet of event space for up to 150, banquet style.
Pinehurst/Southern Pines/Aberdeen Area
Pinehurst Resort: First announced in 2005, more than $10 million has been allocated for a series of upgrades to the historic resort over a three-year period. The first phase of a major rooms renovation of the Carolina Hotel, a new Golf Advantage School complex, three outdoor event venues, and a children’s center were completed earlier this year.
Raleigh
Greater Raleigh CVB: When it opens in early 2009, the 264-room Westin Raleigh will offer 12,000 square feet of meeting space.
Clarion Hotel State Capital: The 202-room hotel recently completed an $8 million enhancement project. The property features the Top of the Tower Restaurant and 7,774 square feet of meeting space that includes a main-floor ballroom.
Embassy Suites Hotel - Raleigh Crabtree (919) 881-0000;
Online Listing;
www.raleighcrabtree.embassysuites.com Undergoing a $7 million renovation to be completed in the fall of 2007 that will upgrade all 225 guest rooms, public areas and meeting spaces. A new business center will be added and the fitness center expanded. The hotel offers more than 3,000 square feet of event space.
Raleigh Convention Center: Set to open in spring 2008, the facility will offer 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 32,000-square-foot ballroom and 30,000 square feet of meeting space. The facility, which will be adjacent to the 400-room, Four-Star Marriott Raleigh City Center, will feature a 9,284-square-foot “shimmer wall.”
Renaissance Raleigh North Hills: The 229-room hotel is expected to open in 2008 with 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Sheraton Capital Center: The 355-room hotel recently completed a $7 million upgrade. The hotel has 13 meeting rooms with banquet seating for up to 400.
Winston-Salem
Clarion Sundance Plaza Hotel & Spa: Recently completed a total renovation that included the addition of local art in the 190 guest rooms and a new day spa. The property offers 9,000 square feet of meeting space.
M.C. Benton Convention Center: $2.9 million in renovations were completed last fall and included updates to carpeting, lighting, paint, and exterior and interior enhancements. The work at the center is part of a major downtown revitalization effort.
