For Immediate Release
Friday, December 23, 2011
CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVES HILTON TO MANAGE CITY OWNED HOTEL, ARENA AND NEW CONVENTION CENTER
Cedar Rapids, IA – The Cedar Rapids City Council has unanimously approved a franchise license agreement and a management agreement with Hilton Worldwide for its new convention center hotel and complex. The agreements were negotiated by John Frew, Managing Principal of Frew Nations Group, LLC, and were approved by the city council on December 20, 2011.
The agreements mean that the city-owned hotel will be branded as a DoubleTree by Hilton and that Doubletree Management will operate the hotel, convention center and arena.
Frew Nations Group, LLC is the city’s project and construction manager for its convention center project. The project involves renovation of the 8,000 seat U.S. Cellular Arena, renovation of the former Five Seasons Crowne Plaza hotel and construction of a new 130,000sf convention center – all under one roof.
Council member Don Karr, told John Frew, the city’s hotel and Convention Complex construction manager, “from one businessman to another, good contract.”
Council member Chuck Wieneke told Frew that he “didn’t know what more could be done to protect the city” than the contracts approved by council.
Frew reported that the agreements with Hilton require the city to retain ownership of the hotel for five years after which the city can sell or lease the hotel. The city will review Hilton’s budget for the hotel and Convention Complex annually, will get reports from Hilton monthly and will approve Hilton’s choice for manager and Hilton’s choice for a subcontractor to run the arena if Hilton chooses to hire one, Frew said.
The arena is expected to be ready for reopening in the fall of 2012 while the convention center and hotel will open in the spring of 2013.
Frew Nations Group, LLC (www.frewnations.com) is the project and construction manager for the City of Cedar Rapids Convention Complex and convention hotel projects.
FNG encourages you to visit the project website on a regular basis – www.cedarrapidsconventioncomplex.com for periodic updates.
