Grande Lakes Orlando Receives Award
Marriott International, Inc. has received the 2003 Americas Lodging
Investment Summit (ALIS) “Transaction of the Year Award” for the
development of the nearly $600 million Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando,
Fla. The prestigious award was presented at the third annual ALIS
conference held in Los Angeles, Calif. this week.
Grande Lakes was the largest non-gaming hotel project to open in the
United States in 2003. It is home to Orlando`s first Ritz-Carlton and JW
Marriott hotels and is the first project to combine these two leading
luxury hotel brands. The property is owned by Thayer Lodging Group and
managed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., and Marriott Hotels &
Resorts.
The 500-acre Grande Lakes estate includes a 584-room Ritz-Carlton, a
1,000-room JW Marriott hotel, an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed championship
golf course and a 40,000 square-foot spa. The property offers 12 different
lounge and dining choices including two signature dining venues: Norman`s,
located in The Ritz-Carlton, is a culinary collaboration with celebrated
chef Norman Van Aken, and Primo, located in the JW Marriott, features chef
Melissa Kelly. Meeting space is extensive with 33,000 square feet at The
Ritz- Carlton, including two ballrooms and 14 meeting rooms. The JW
Marriott features over 72,000 square feet of meeting space, including two
ballrooms, 23 conference rooms and two boardrooms. Wireless high-speed
internet access is available in all meetings rooms and public spaces.
In addition to Grande Lakes Orlando, two other Marriott properties,
Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa, and the Renaissance Grand
Hotel, St. Louis, were among four finalists for the Transaction of the
Year Award.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. is a leading worldwide hospitality company
with over 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 68 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 and Ramada International 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., has
approximately 128,000 employees, and was ranked as the lodging industry`s
most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE(R).
For more information or reservations, please visit the web site at
http://www.marriott.com/.
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