Omni Hotel @ BCEC | Summer St | Seaport

[bigpicture7]

Originally Posted by kmp1284

In your opinion. Obviously the market in Boston for hotels is not as strong as you'd like to believe if this was considered the best proposal - a two bit national chain with no appeal to people under sixty and a crappy loyalty program.

Sorry kmp, this analysis is off.

There is a strong market for both high-end and moderate-end hotels in Boston, and odura is correct that we need to crank out rooms at multiple levels. Many of the BCEC conventions are not gatherings of thousands of elite business execs....in the past year, there's been healthcare IT, nursing, PR...various mid-level conventions. Lots of the ritzy conventions don't need a space as big as the BCEC. Instead, these are people whose employers are paying for/booking their hotels at big group rates and, unlike you (presumably), they don't get to pick their own travel arrangements...if Omni is what's there, then it'll get filled

But that notwithstanding, there's the Renaissance and Inter-Continental a stone's throw away in either direction. You've got the Westin next door. People on elite rewards programs will be served, and I'm willing to bet we will see more elite chain hotels open soon. Evidence: we had Le Meridien bidding for a spot at Winthrop Tower (they lost when Accordia was ousted), we have Four Seasons opening up their SECOND boston location, and there have been more boutique hotels opening than I can count (Envoy, Godfrey, etc)

I was at the winthrop sq. town hall where Le Meridien was arguing for 400-500 rooms

[BostonDrew]

Originally Posted by bigpicture7

Sorry kmp, this analysis is off.

There is a strong market for both high-end and moderate-end hotels in Boston, and odura is correct that we need to crank out rooms at multiple levels. Many of the BCEC conventions are not gatherings of thousands of elite business execs....in the past year, there's been healthcare IT, nursing, PR...various mid-level conventions. Lots of the ritzy conventions don't need a space as big as the BCEC. Instead, these are people whose employers are paying for/booking their hotels at big group rates and, unlike you (presumably), they don't get to pick their own travel arrangements...if Omni is what's there, then it'll get filled

But that notwithstanding, there's the Renaissance and Inter-Continental a stone's throw away in either direction. You've got the Westin next door. People on elite rewards programs will be served, and I'm willing to bet we will see more elite chain hotels open soon. Evidence: we had Le Meridien bidding for a spot at Winthrop Tower (they lost when Accordia was ousted), we have Four Seasons opening up their SECOND boston location, and there have been more boutique hotels opening than I can count (Envoy, Godfrey, etc)

I was at the winthrop sq. town hall where Le Meridien was arguing for 400-500 rooms

There's also 300+ rooms coming online at the Yotel, the Aloft and Element Hotels were recently finished, and there's a new Regent Hotel coming at parcels M1 and M2.

[Smartiro]

^^^
Don't forget over 400 midpriced rooms at Parcel A - Marine Wharf http://www.bldup.com/projects/parcel-a-hotel

[bigpicture7]

Yeah its just silly to say there isn't a huge market for mid-level hotels in/near the seaport.

I was just trying to point out that Intercontinental/Renaissance/Westin/Envoy provide evidence that there's an elite-end market too

But that's in parallel to the fact that when the building-insulation-mfrs-association-of-eastern-US (e.g., or pick your random mid-level trade conference du jour) wants to have a convention at BCEC, they're thrilled w/ the prospect of homewood suites / hampton inn / etc

Gotta have both to have a thriving business tourism economy. The elites bring the big bucks. The mid levels bring the #s. They both drink beer (hence a thriving seaport bar scene anticipated into the future).

[BKNA]

Originally Posted by BostonDrew

and there's a new Regent Hotel coming at parcels M1 and M2.

No hotel here. There will be Regent branded residences (condos and apts) including short and long term stay apartments but not a hotel. I dont know how 'short' short will be though.

[BosDevelop]

Speaking of hotels, a St. Regis would be a nice addition to the City's luxury collection. Would have loved to see them be a part of the Bulfinch Crossing project.

[dshoost88]

Originally Posted by BosDevelop

Speaking of hotels, a St. Regis would be a nice addition to the City's luxury collection. Would have loved to see them be a part of the Bulfinch Crossing project.

There is an approved building at Bulfinch Crossing that looks to be either a hotel or condominium--they haven't decided yet. I agree, that would be an awesome site for a St. Regis. That said, there are at least a half dozen vacant parcels surrounding the BCEC that could make for a good St. Regis or other major hotel site, too. Omni's in good company.

[FenwayResident]

One of my coworkers needed to book a last minute trip to Boston next week. In our corporate travel system there were only three hotels will open rooms for all of downtown and Back Bay. The minimum price was $700/night. He ended up canceling the trip and planned a virtual meeting instead.

We need this hotel, and many more, badly. That's a couple dinners, lunches, beers, and hotel nights the city lost due to the lack of supply.

[Equilibria]

Originally Posted by FenwayResident

One of my coworkers needed to book a last minute trip to Boston next week. In our corporate travel system there were only three hotels will open rooms for all of downtown and Back Bay. The minimum price was $700/night. He ended up canceling the trip and planned a virtual meeting instead.

We need this hotel, and many more, badly. That's a couple dinners, lunches, beers, and hotel nights the city lost due to the lack of supply.

There's hotels coming at 88 North Washington and the Hub on Causeway...

[TheRifleman]

Heard the Omni in Nashville is awesome--Great location, Beautiful hotel

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/na...nX0aAtNk8P8HAQ

400-500 a night Nashville. That's pricey--wonder what Boston prices will be?

[Brad Plaid]

Originally Posted by FenwayResident

One of my coworkers needed to book a last minute trip to Boston next week. In our corporate travel system there were only three hotels will open rooms for all of downtown and Back Bay. The minimum price was $700/night. He ended up canceling the trip and planned a virtual meeting instead.

We need this hotel, and many more, badly. That's a couple dinners, lunches, beers, and hotel nights the city lost due to the lack of supply.

Granted it's Porter Sq but the Porter Sq hotel claims a rate starting at $159 a night.
http://www.theportersquarehotel.com/

[JumboBuc]

Originally Posted by Brad Plaid

Granted it's Porter Sq but the Porter Sq hotel claims a rate starting at $159 a night.
http://www.theportersquarehotel.com/

"starting at".

[FenwayResident]

Originally Posted by Brad Plaid

Granted it's Porter Sq but the Porter Sq hotel claims a rate starting at $159 a night.
http://www.theportersquarehotel.com/

The hotel is completely sold out for next week.

[BosDevelop]

Originally Posted by TheRifleman

Heard the Omni in Nashville is awesome--Great location, Beautiful hotel

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/na...nX0aAtNk8P8HAQ

400-500 a night Nashville. That's pricey--wonder what Boston prices will be?

I recently stated at the Omni in downtown Austin, Texas. It was no Four Seasons (not that they are going for that) but it was a perfectly acceptable city hotel. The prices for their new Boston hotel will obviously vary depending on timing but I think $350 a night average sounds about right to me.

[JumboBuc]

This had its don't-call-it-a-groundbreaking "welcome" today. The BBJ real estate editor was live-tweeting it. All the big shots (Baker, Polito, Lynch, various development company CEOs) were all there.

Apparently a JLL video called it the "largest mixed-use development in Boston's history". That seems like a bold claim...

Targeted opening of Summer 2021

[meddlepal]

How'd this project go through the planning / approval process so quickly? Was it already approved with the Convention Center master plan and just a matter of finding a developer all along or is this a case of State-land, State-rules?

[datadyne007]

Originally Posted by meddlepal

How'd this project go through the planning / approval process so quickly? Was it already approved with the Convention Center master plan and just a matter of finding a developer all along or is this a case of State-land, State-rules?

Correct. It is not subject to BPDA/BCDC review because it is owned by Massport. Any presentations to the BPDA are courtesy only and not required.

[atlantaden]

To be completed in 2021! Four years to build a hotel? Parcel M, which looks to be larger, just broke ground a few months ago and will be finished a year ahead of this project. Is this site that complicated to build on?

[stick n move]

The sites a little bit tricker but not enough to offset it by a year. This project as a whole is less complex and smaller in scope than parcel M so its probably another reason like finding a tenant.

[datadyne007]

Originally Posted by atlantaden

To be completed in 2021! Four years to build a hotel? Parcel M, which looks to be larger, just broke ground a few months ago and will be finished a year ahead of this project. Is this site that complicated to build on?

Originally Posted by stick n move

The sites a little bit tricker but not enough to offset it by a year. This project as a whole is less complex and smaller in scope than parcel M so its probably another reason like finding a tenant.

Massport wants the parking garage ("Transportation Center") to be done first. Massport negotiated with Omni to get them to accept that build timeline. This hotel will not be completed until the garage is done. They own both parcels.

This was reported in the BBJ article posted on page 1.