Marriott International has announced its intent to remain headquartered in Montgomery County, Maryland, and that its real estate search for a new corporate facility has been narrowed to the downtown Bethesda business district.

Several sites in downtown Bethesda are still being considered and negotiations are on-going.

A final decision on a location is expected in the first half of 2017.

However, pending successful site selection, lease negotiation, and finalisation of all necessary agreements, permitting, and support from the state and county, Marriott have not ruled out other locations.

In announcing this news, Marriott president Arne Sorenson said:  “Marriott has been headquartered in the State of Maryland for more than 60 years and we intend to remain close to our roots. 

“Our goal is to provide a cutting-edge workspace for our associates, offering state-of-the-art technology, modern amenities, and access to a range of transportation options. 

“After a comprehensive review of many excellent options in the DC metro region, we have focused our search on downtown Bethesda, which offers multiple sites that meet our priority needs.” 

Sorenson added that the company “expects to manage a new 200+ room Marriott-branded hotel to be built on the site.”

Marriott’s headquarters relocation team, with the support of JLL, its real estate advisor, and Gensler, a global design firm and workplace strategy partner, evaluated a range of possible locations in North Bethesda, Washington, DC, and Arlington and Fairfax counties in Northern Virginia.

“Our future headquarters will be a major investment in the local community, and we look forward to remaining a strong economic engine for Montgomery County and the entire region,” Sorenson concluded.