Marriott Hotels has taken over a prominent hotel in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, according to BreakingTravelNews.com. The hotel was previously known as the Peabody Hotel, and the takeover represents a major change for the city's River Market district and convention center neighborhood.
The hotel officially became a Marriott property on May 2, and the occasion was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Dignitaries and local business representatives as well as hotel associates from the management firm Davidson Hotels & Resorts and property owner Ed Ansbro, the Executive Vice President of Fairwood Capital, attended the event.
"The addition of the Marriott Hotels & Resorts' flag, along with its associated accommodations, amenities and reservation system, will better position our hotel to meet the needs and demands of both business and leisure travelers seeking upscale accommodations in the area," Bill Fontes, the general manager of what is now the Little Rock Marriott, said during the ribbon cutting ceremony. "We are the only full-service Marriott hotel in Arkansas, which we believe gives us a significant competitive advantage."
The hotel is set to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation in early 2014.
"Little Rock is a regional magnet for business, meetings, convention and leisure travel," Ted Arps, the Investment Manager senior vice president with Davidson Hotels & Resorts, said. "After a thorough review of the market, we worked closely with Fairwood to select the best brand to reposition this hotel.
"The Marriott flag brings instant credibility to a great hotel and location, and we intend to provide the guest service and attention to detail for which both Marriott and Little rock are well-known," Arps added.
The hotel is connected to the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock near the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library and many other sites.
The Peabody ducks were missing from the ceremony. The ducks were an iconic fixture at the Peabody Hotel, but were moved from the hotel's fountain and relocated to a nearby farm.
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