Starwood and SunCor Development Company have announced that a Le Meridien hotel is the latest addition to the mixed-use project, Hayden Ferry Lakeside, in Tempe, Arizona.Le Meridien at Tempe Town Lake is the brand’s first new build property since it was acquired by Starwood in November of 2005, and follows the May 2006 opening of Le Meridien San Francisco. The brand is on an aggressive global growth path, particularly in the U.S., Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

Le Meridien is recognized by global travelers for its style, originality and passion for art, architecture, food, fashion, music and film. The 183-room, 14-story contemporary styled hotel with a European flair will offer to worldly travelers a culturally-rich and sophisticated accommodation in Tempe, a highly popular downtown district in the greater Phoenix area. The hotel is bordered by the 220-acre Tempe Town Lake and picturesque Hayden’s Butte, and is located ten minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport.

In addition to the hotel, 44 residential units will be built atop the property and will enjoy the internationally acclaimed services and amenities afforded to Le Meridien guests, along with magnificent lake views. There also are four other SunCor condominium buildings in the Hayden Ferry Lakeside development, all of which may have access to some of the hotel amenities.

Le Meridien joins an innovative, forward-looking cadre of corporate tenants including KPMG, Smith Barney, T. Y. Lin, Regus/HQ and MedAire as well as SunCor. Tenants in the vicinity include U.S. Airways, and Monster International. When complete the Hayden Ferry Lakeside master-planned development will include the hotel, approximately 350 condominiums, three high-rise office buildings, and retail components including a spa/fitness club and myriad high-end restaurants.

“As we aggressively expand our footprint around the globe, particularly here in the United States, we search for communities that, like Le Meridien, embrace culture and creativity,” said Eva Ziegler, Senior Vice President, Le Meridien Brand. “With the energy of Arizona State University, its sophisticated, international corporate presence, and thriving downtown, Tempe is a very desirable location. This project’s unique design concept perfectly complements the preferences and desires of our guests.”

The Hayden Ferry Lakeside project is part of the master-planned Tempe Town Lake, an extensive landscape comprising of water and park space that frames Tempe Beach Park, originally built in 1931. The park connects to five miles of picturesque bike and jogging paths, and boating concessions. The area plays host to open-air concerts and holiday celebrations throughout the year. The Tempe Town Lake is Arizona’s second largest tourist attraction.

A joint venture among Valhalla Development Corporation, Sierra Hospitality, and Adobe Development Partners who together comprise Tempe Lake Development Partners, the new hotel will be operated by APMC, an approved Starwood Operator. The international hotel designer Bent Severin Design (Westin Tokyo, Sheraton Bahrain and Sheraton Warsaw) and highly acclaimed hotel architects Callison Group of Seattle have been selected with an urban design in mind.

“Le Meridien’s European sensibility, style and sophistication are all highly desirable, even in a market that already boasts some of the world’s finest accommodations,” said SunCor President & CEO Steve Betts. “With the power of Starwood, the brand brings with it operational excellence, cutting edge technology, and an existing global customer base.”

Starwood has also been nominated this year for a

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World Travel Award as World’s Leading Hotel Brand.
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