BUFFALO, N.Y. (July 17, 2013) — HARBORcenter Development, LLC today announced that an agreement has been reached with Marriott International and Shaner Hotels to develop and operate the hotel facility at HARBORcenter in downtown Buffalo. The hotel property, which has been awarded a full-service Marriott franchise to be operated by Shaner Hotels, will be part of a $170 million multi-use hockey and entertainment complex in the Canalside District of the city.
“We are thrilled that we have an agreement with Marriott and Shaner Hotels to operate our hotel facility at HARBORcenter,” saidJohn Koelmel, president of HARBORcenter, LLC. “Our goal is to make HARBORcenter a first-class facility and we have taken a huge step toward that by aligning ourselves with a powerful brand like Marriott and the resources and proven track record that Shaner Hotels brings to its hotel facilities.”
Scheduled to open in spring 2015, the Marriott Buffalo Harbor Center will offer 205 rooms and suites, 5,000 square feet of meeting space for groups up to 450 persons, a fitness center, a business center, high-speed Internet, a sundry/newsstand, and the new Marriott Great Room serving three meals daily, appetizers and beverages.
“As the signature brand of Marriott International, Marriott Hotels & Resorts is one of the most recognized names in the industry,” said Kip Vreeland, Marriott’s Chief Officer, Full Service Franchising, “Building on our longstanding tradition of hospitality excellence, Marriott is re-imaging the future of travel, with expansive Great Room lobbies that help refresh and recharge; tech-enabled work spaces; and an innovative new Guest Room – a modern blend of style and comfort designed for the way guests work and play today. The result is a modern place where every need is met and exceeded.”
The Buffalo Marriott hotel will feature this contemporary style and design and innovative approaches to delivering service and amenities, featuring the new Guest Room, where style meets substance to help guests transition effortlessly from work time to downtime.
“We are very excited to work with the Pegulas, the HARBORcenter team, the Sabres organization, and Marriott in developing and operating this exciting property,” said Lance Shaner, Chairman of the Shaner Companies. “We look forward to the hotel assisting in the growth of tourism in the downtown area and to help further establish Buffalo as one of the premier hockey markets in North America.”
HARBORcenter will be anchored by two new ice rinks that will be open for community use in addition to a hockey-themed, upscale restaurant and bar, additional retail space and a 850-space parking structure.
The facility will be directly connected to First Niagara Center and the combined structure will be the only three-pad ice complex in the National Hockey League. Additionally, the structure will house a hockey “center of excellence,” which will be designed to help grow and develop the sport of hockey in the region.
HARBORcenter is expected to draw more than 500,000 people to downtown Buffalo annually and will serve as a beacon for hockey in the northeast corridor of the United States and the southeastern region of Canada.
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Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 3,800 properties in 74 countries and territories and reported revenues of nearly $12 billion in fiscal year 2012. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.
SHANER HOTELS – Headquartered in State College, PA, Shaner Hotels is part of the Shaner Companies, a diversified, privately held company that owns and operated investments in the lodging, finance, energy and professional services sectors. Shaner Hotels is a developer / owner / operator that currently owns and manages more than 37 hotels. For more information please visit the company website at www.shanercorp.com.
