Century Plaza / Convention Hotel rumoring (archive)

[twincitizen]

Quick question: Why is Hennepin County involved in this? I understand they own the property in question. The convention center is owned and run by the city. Most marketing/tourism/convention business is handled at the city or regional or state level (Meet Minneapolis, Explore Minnesota, etc). I just don't see how this is any business of Hennepin County to be conducting a study to determine downtown Minneapolis hotel needs. Unless Hennepin County wants to take over the obligations for Target Center and the Convention Center...that would be great!

[Nick]

Quick question: Why is Hennepin County involved in this? I understand they own the property in question. The convention center is owned and run by the city. Most marketing/tourism/convention business is handled at the city or regional or state level (Meet Minneapolis, Explore Minnesota, etc). I just don't see how this is any business of Hennepin County to be conducting a study to determine downtown Minneapolis hotel needs. Unless Hennepin County wants to take over the obligations for Target Center and the Convention Center...that would be great!

Presumably it's because the county owns the property they want to build the hotel on.

[John]

Yes, and in addition to selling the property, I would assume Hennepin County would receive some substantial tax revenue from the hotel etc. in the future. It's a "win win" for the county.

[twincitizen]

OK, good point about Hennepin County receiving millions/year in potential tax revenue from a new super-hotel. I get that they own the property and wish to sell it. My point was simply that studying hotel demand is outside the traditional role of county government. County government does a ton of different and important (mostly behind the scenes) things for society...this just isn't one of them.

It's a little strange, that's all.

[John]

OK, good point about Hennepin County receiving millions/year in potential tax revenue from a new super-hotel. I get that they own the property and wish to sell it. My point was simply that studying hotel demand is outside the traditional role of county government. County government does a ton of different and important (mostly behind the scenes) things for society...this just isn't one of them.

It's a little strange, that's all.

I know what you're saying. I have no idea why they are involved in something so remote from their traditional role. My guess is it has to do with $$$. They have an opportunity to generate revenue, and whatever that takes legally.... even if it defies convention ( no pun intended)

[TWA]

I disagree with everyone who thinks that this would be a tall building. First of all, the majority of hotels are squat- large footprints and not about height. I imagine it is easier to maintain so many rooms in a shorter building. It also costs much more to build a taller building obviously. If you were a hotel company- what benefit would you get from spending extra to make a taller, sexier building? All the people who are coming for some RV convention or retired postal worker meet-and-greet will not care if their hotel is 18 stories or 80... as long as they can get a room for less than $200/night

[min-chi-cbus]

I disagree with everyone who thinks that this would be a tall building. First of all, the majority of hotels are squat- large footprints and not about height. I imagine it is easier to maintain so many rooms in a shorter building. It also costs much more to build a taller building obviously. If you were a hotel company- what benefit would you get from spending extra to make a taller, sexier building? All the people who are coming for some RV convention or retired postal worker meet-and-greet will not care if their hotel is 18 stories or 80... as long as they can get a room for less than $200/night

This is SO true! I think if people could imagine that this were their own money being spent and the hotel was their opportunity to recouperate those costs, the conversation would be very different. Some cities like NYC or Chicago may have taller 1,000+ room hotels because there aren't any large footprints for which to build those hotels. Not necessarily the case in Minneapolis....Still, I'd have to imagine this hotel would be at least 30 floors. The MOA Radisson Blu is 15 and is VERY squat, with 550 rooms!

[Avian]

We saw this coming, didn't we?

Century Plaza will be closing and (presumably) sold and replaced with 6 satellite hubs for residents:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/displa ... l-services

So at least one piece is falling into place for a new hotel.

[fehler]

Commence the screaming that we're making it too easy to apply for county services in 3....2....

Who am I kidding. The screaming started decades ago.

[mattaudio]

I think most people would be happy with easier to apply but harder to qualify

[Minneboy]

Houston's possible new 1000 room convention hotel. Not a bad height or design. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news ... pment.html

[MS3]

I like it- that would look good in Minneapolis

[John]

I like it- that would look good in Minneapolis

Hopefully, we will get an announcement this summer of a large convention center hotel. There is a good chance it will happen. The talk is it will be 50+stories.

[FISHMANPET]

I was in New Orleans this week for a conference at the Hyatt Regency, which is a 27 story building with nearly 1200 rooms, so I don't see why this would be a super tall.

[writruth]

Fifty-stories-plus and a contemporary design would be enough to spark a national buzz for the Minneapolis hospitality industry which is exactly what the convention center planners want from such a hotel. The thinking behind this type of development is designed to stand out from what's available elsewhere and offer enough rooms to attract the largest conventions.

[Didier]

To be sure, is that actually the thinking, or is that our wishful thinking?

[nasa35]

I was in New Orleans this week for a conference at the Hyatt Regency, which is a 27 story building with nearly 1200 rooms, so I don't see why this would be a super tall.

It's not going to be a super tall, but it appears it will be quite a bit taller than the Houston proposal. This stuff takes time. Alot of it.

[John]

It's not going to be a super tall, but it appears it will be quite a bit taller than the Houston proposal. This stuff takes time. Alot of it.

Yes, Hennepin County has to vacate the property in 2014 which is still a year off. I'm thinking the hotel will open about 2018 or so. As far as the hotel being 50 stories or more, that may seem incredibly tall for us in Minneapolis, but from a national or worldwide perspective, urban hotels of that height are a dime a dozen.

[min-chi-cbus]

It's not going to be a super tall, but it appears it will be quite a bit taller than the Houston proposal. This stuff takes time. Alot of it.

Yes, Hennepin County has to vacate the property in 2014 which is still a year off. I'm thinking the hotel will open about 2018 or so. As far as the hotel being 50 stories or more, that may seem incredibly tall for us in Minneapolis, but from a national or worldwide perspective, urban hotels of that height are a dime a dozen.

The day a 50+ floors project makes urbanmsp'ers complacent....

Why are people acting like this thing is signed, sealed and delivered? Last I heard they were still doing a market analysis.

[mattaudio]

If I was planning a convention, I would be concerned with cost, climate, and convenience. Not how tall the hotel is. As much as I wish there to be a new hotel here, I don't see how the market can support it.