BENNETT HOSPITALITY BREAKS GROUND ON $101 MILLION MARION SQUARE HOTEL PROJECT
April 27 2015 - 1:23PM
Bennett Hospitality, along with Charleston community leaders,
officials and guests today celebrated the groundbreaking of
Bennett's $101 million hotel project at King Street and Marion
Square. The project, years in the making, will be among the Holy
City's most significant hotel developments ever. The more than
200,000 square-foot, eight-story luxury hotel will feature 185
upscale guest rooms and a grand lobby entrance off King Street. A
bi-level, fine-dining restaurant overlooking Charleston's most
famed green space and a separate full bar and lounge area will be
among the hotel's amenities. Additionally, a rooftop pool with
cabanas and bar will be open to patrons, along with a full-service
spa. Meeting space – some of it rooftop – and a ballroom will also
be available. "I purchased this property 21 years ago. I worked on
this hotel for twelve years to get all of the entitlements
required," said Michael Bennett, founder and owner of Bennett
Hospitality. "Beautiful limestone, marble, bronze and copper. It
will be built the way they built buildings 100 years ago. It will
be built to last. A luxury hotel in the best location in the best
city in the world. Mayor Riley always said to take the 100 year
view. If it should be here in 100 years, then build it. And we took
the 100 year view and never looked back." The project will produce
an estimated 350 jobs in Charleston and is expected to be completed
in 28 months. Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., an integral
supporter of the hotel for nearly a decade, spoke at today's
groundbreaking. "The new hotel at King Street on Marion Square
being developed by Michael Bennett will be a stunningly beautiful
building. It will enhance our city," Riley said. "This full-service
hotel will become an important part of the civic and community life
of Charleston as it will host many special occasions, weddings,
anniversaries, community events, and more. It will additionally
become a nationally acclaimed hotel. Visitors from all over
our country and around the world will enjoy staying here." With
Charleston's booming travel and tourism business, the project is
poised to become an iconic part of the city's landscape that will
continue to enhance the area's reputation as a world-class travel
destination. "We are thrilled that Bennett Hospitality is
developing a beautiful full-service hotel on this important site,"
said Helen Hill, Executive Director of the Charleston Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau. "This property will be a
wonderful complement to Charleston's reputation for gracious
hospitality and fine accommodations, and will make us even more
desirable as a leisure and meeting destination." Balfour
Beatty Construction, the second-largest hotel contractor in the
U.S., is serving as the project's developer. "We are honored to be
part of the hotel at Marion Square, an iconic project for the city
of Charleston, and to have the opportunity to work with the great
team of visionaries at Bennett Hospitality," said Pat Dean,
Carolinas division President, Balfour Beatty Construction. "This is
a wonderful, transformational development that will allow us to
expand upon our strong portfolio of high-end hospitality projects."
About Bennett Hospitality Founded as the Bennett
Hofford Company in1983, Bennett Hospitality is today one of
the largest locally- owned development companies in Charleston,
S.C. The company is a multi-faceted, full-service real estate and
development company, as well as a hospitality, restaurant, and
asset management company. The company owns 16 hotels, 8 restaurants
in four states. Projects are developed, constructed and managed in
this framework and range from award-winning resort developments to
the redesign and redevelopment of two city blocks, including six
restaurants, a 1000-seat music hall and two hotels in downtown
Charleston, to hotels all over the Charleston area, as well as
Montana, Georgia & Florida. Media Contact for Rawle
Murdy: Daniel Brock dbrock@rawlemurdy.com (919)820-2612 A photo
accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=32416
CONTACT: Marty Wall
mwall@bennetthospitality.com
843.722.8169, ext. 237