Hammons Hotels opens new hotels down South

The opening of the new Tampa Embassy Suites Jan. 14 marked a milestone for Hammons Hotels: its 50th hotel property.

John Q. Hammons, hotel magnate and Springfield's 1997 Developer of the Year, is at it again.

His company, John Q. Hammons Hotels Inc., has recently opened two new hotels in Charleston, W. Va., and in Tampa, Fla., respectively, both of which constitute new markets for the company, according to news releases from Hammons Hotels.

The Charleston Embassy Suites hotel opened Dec. 2, 1997, at 300 Court St. in downtown Charleston. It was the sixth new hotel developed by Hammons Hotels to be opened in 1997 and the first Embassy Suites property in West Virginia, according to Hammons Hotels.

"Charleston represents a dynamic market for our first hotel in West Virginia because of its continued business and economic growth," said David B. Jones, president of John Q. Hammons Hotels, in a release. "The hotel is located near several major businesses and area attractions, and we believe it will prove to be a popular choice among both business and leisure travelers."

The Charleston Embassy Suites is a nine-story property featuring 253 suites and 12 meeting rooms with 14,600 square feet of meeting space, equipment and amenities for meetings of all sizes.

Also present is the signature design element of all Hammons hotels, a skylit atrium/lobby.

Attractions and features near the hotel include downtown Charleston, the University of West Virginia, Town Center Mall, Charleston Civic Center, Haddad Riverfront Park, the Sunrise Museum and the Charleston Yeager Airport. Shuttle service to and from Yeager Airport is available at the hotel.

Meanwhile, the opening of the new Tampa Embassy Suites Jan. 14 marked a milestone for Hammons Hotels: its 50th hotel property, according to a news release.

Located at 3705 Spectrum Blvd., the Tampa Embassy Suites is located approximately 15 minutes from Tampa International Airport. The hotel is the first John Q. Hammons property in Florida.

"Tampa represents an excellent market for our first hotel in Florida because of its continued growth as a destination for both business and leisure travelers," Jones said in a news release.

The eight-story property features 247 suites, 12 meeting rooms with 18,000 square feet of meeting space with equipment and amenities, and the signature skylit atrium.

Dining at the hotel is available at Mangroves Grill, The Oak Tree Lounge and through room service.

Attractions and features near the hotel include Busch Gardens Theme Park, Adventure Island Water Park, the University of South Florida, the Museum of Science and Industry, University Mall and the Tampa Greyhound Track, according to Hammons Hotels.

All Embassy Suites hotels feature two-room suites with separate living area and sofa bed, private bedroom and bath, two televisions, two telephones with voice mail and data ports, a wet bar, coffee-maker, refrigerator, microwave oven, iron, ironing board and complimentary copy of USA Today, according to the news releases.

Embassy Suites also provides complimentary cooked-to-order breakfasts, a two-hour reception each evening and an unconditional, 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, the release stated.

The opening of the Tampa hotel continues the strong development momentum established by the company in recent years, according to Hammons Hotels.

Hammons Hotels opened six hotels in 1997, including a Homewood Suites in Kansas City; the Chateau on the Lake Resort and Convention Center in Branson; and Embassy Suites hotels in Little Rock, Ark., Omaha, Neb., Raleigh/Durham-Cary, N.C. and the new Charleston property, the release stated.

The company has several additional hotels under construction, including an Embassy Suites hotel in Portland, Ore.; the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka, Kan.; the World Golf Resort Hotel and Convention Center at World Golf Village, St. John's County, Fla.; a Radisson Plaza Hotel in Coral Springs, Fla., adjacent to the PGA Tour Players Club at Heron Bay; and a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel adjacent to the Mesquite Championship Rodeo Arena in Mesquite, Texas.

John Q. Hammons Hotels, a New York Stock Exchange company (NYSE: JQH) with headquarters in Springfield, operates 50 hotels with 12,309 rooms in 22 states.

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