May 21, 2008: For Immediate Release

Contact: Debbie Wilson, Director - Florence/Lauderdale Tourism 256-740-4141

Tony Contigiani - Regional Director of Operations Yedla Management Company

256 882 2228

 

Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel Project Announced For Florence, Alabama

 

Florence, AL – Vision Hospitality Group announced today that they will be building a new Residence Inn by Marriott in Florence, Alabama. The hotel will be located at the corner of Florence Blvd. and Sweetwater Avenue. Construction on the 110 unit property will begin in August and is scheduled to open by the fall of 2009.

 

“We are very excited to be making this announcement of opening a new Residence Inn in Florence,” said Tony Contigiani, Director of Operations of Yedla Management Company. “This will be second hotel property for us to open in Florence. The group also owns the Hampton Inn Midtown, which opened in 1998, and due to it’s success, the owners chose this location for their expanded development. Other factors that went into the location included the feasibility study which showed occupancy rates of the Hampton Inn Midtown and surrounding hotels continue to increase and the market can sustain the additional rooms.” The owners currently own 8 properties in Alabama and have 2 other developments under construction.

 

When completed, the hotel will be the second Marriott brand located in the Shoals. The Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa maintains extremely high occupancy rates. Loyal Marriott customers will have an additional option for rooms in the Shoals. The Residence Inn will also feature accommodations not widely available among existing hotels such as separate living, working, eating and sleeping areas in the suites and fully equipped kitchens. Other amenities will include; indoor pool, complimentary full hot breakfast, boat parking and outdoor plugs to accommodate the fishing traffic, business center, fitness center and the property will be pet friendly.

 

Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Director Debbie Wilson said, “We are excited to add a Marriott Residence Inn to the mix of lodging properties in Florence and Lauderdale County. The addition of the brand will broaden our marketing opportunities in the outdoor market, reunions market as well as the convention market. Combined with our other brand offerings we have the desirable overnight accommodations to continue growth for tourism is our area.” When the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Board was formed in 1995, there were only 500 rooms available, and we will now have over 1,000 rooms when the Residence Inn opens in 2009.

 

The project will also have a tremendous economic impact on the area. Approximately 35 to 40 new jobs will be created. Hotel officials anticipate $2.8 million in revenue the first year of operation.  The additional lodging revenues will be used by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism to market and promote Florence and Lauderdale County as a vacation destination and attract more conferences, conventions, bass tournaments and other sporting events.