Omni Dallas Hotel Tops Out One Year After Groundbreaking

Convention Center Hotel Celebrates Construction Milestone

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Oct 21, 2010, 05:00 ET

DALLAS, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, the City Council and community leaders joined Omni Hotels & Resorts to commemorate the ceremonial topping out of the 23-story, 1,001 room Omni Dallas Hotel. The 700-person construction crew reached this milestone a little more than one year after ground was broken on the new convention center hotel.

Scheduled to open in early 2012, the Omni Dallas Hotel offers a luxurious, warm and sophisticated design which reflects the essence of Dallas with a contemporary, reflective glass exterior and native textures, art and other materials enriching the interior. Upon opening, guests and locals alike will have access to five culinary selections, including the celebrated Bob's Steak & Chop House, a state-of-the-art sports bar and a farm-to-table restaurant for a casual dining experience, as well as retail space, lounges, a signature Mokara Spa, urban pool deck and more. In-room technology will include flat screen TVs as well as TV monitors embedded within the bathroom mirrors. The LEED Silver New Construction project includes utilization of recycled materials, irrigation supplied by recycled water, water-saving fixtures, guest room energy management systems and more.

Connected via a skybridge to the Dallas Convention Center, the Omni Dallas Hotel will incorporate over 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. Included among its 21 meeting rooms are the grand and junior ballrooms, encompassing 32,000 and 15,000 sq. ft. respectively. The hotel will comfortably accommodate groups of more than 3,300 attendees at any given time.

"Today we acknowledge that this pivotal Dallas project is one step closer to becoming a reality," said Mayor Tom Leppert. "As part of our continued downtown revitalization, the hotel serves as another catalyst of growth alongside the burgeoning Arts District and the Trinity River Corridor Project."

A special ceremony and reception were held at the construction site where a Norwegian pine tree attached to a structural steel beam was hoisted to the top of the 23rd floor of the property – a topping out tradition symbolizing appreciation and good fortune. The steel beam was signed by the Mayor, City Council, community leaders and supporters of the convention center hotel as well as the many tradesmen who have contributed to the construction effort leading up to this milestone.

"There is great excitement for the hotel, and the momentum just continues to build," said Ed Netzhammer, regional vice president and general manager of the Omni Dallas Hotel. "Since the Omni Dallas Hotel began taking reservations last September, the team has already booked over 132,000 room nights. These results have been made possible by the tremendous efforts of the city, Matthews Southwest, Balfour/Russell/Pegasus and every construction crew member who helped bring this outstanding structure to the Dallas skyline."

Owned by the City of Dallas, the hotel was endorsed by voters in May 2009 and backed by the sale of nearly $500 million in revenue bonds in August that same year. The property is located on eight acres in the heart of the nation's eighth-largest city, which is experiencing a renaissance from more than $14 billion in new development underway in and near the urban core. Two acres of the site are slated for additional dining, retail and other venues which will enhance entertainment opportunities for those who visit, work or live downtown. For more information, please visit omnidallashotel.com or call 214-744-6664.

About Omni Hotels & Resorts / Hotel Operator

Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences that take guests on "A Total Departure" to 47 distinct luxury hotels and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America. From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each Omni showcases the local flavor of the destination while featuring four-diamond services, signature restaurants, Wi-Fi connectivity and unique wellness options. Known for its award-winning, personalized service, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every customer interaction, with a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest loyalty program and the company's "Power of One" associate empowerment program. The brand is frequently recognized by top consumer research organizations such as J.D. Power and Associates, which ranked Omni as "Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upscale Hotel Chains" in its 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study(SM).

To get additional information or book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.

About Matthews Southwest / Hotel Developer

Matthews Southwest (MSW) is a full-service private real estate development company headquartered in Lewisville, Texas with additional offices in Dallas, Texas; Calgary, Alberta; and Mississauga, Ontario. Since 1988, MSW has acquired, built and managed the development of hotel, office, mixed-use retail, residential, and industrial developments. We have developed projects in the United States, Canada and Mexico. From conception to completion, MSW brings together financial resources and experienced management to form profitable partnerships focused on creating projects of lasting excellence. MSW has built, or is in the process of developing, in excess of 8 million square feet of office, residential, hospitality and mixed use developments throughout North America. Projects currently under construction include the EnCana Corporate Headquarters (The Bow is a two million sq. ft. office tower), the Omni Dallas Hotel and The Tribute, a master planned community on Lake Lewisville.

About Balfour / Russell / Pegasus with 5Gstudio collaborative and BOKA Powell

Design Build Team

Balfour / Russell / Pegasus is a formal joint venture formed for the purpose of providing design-build services for the Dallas Convention Center Hotel project. This team represents a combination of large and small businesses with the appropriate qualifications and resources to provide management for the design and construction of a complex hospitality project like the Dallas Convention Center Hotel. For more information about the Balfour / Russell / Pegasus team members including Balfour Beatty Construction, H.J. Russell & Company, and Pegasus Texas Construction, LLP, please visit our individual websites: www.BalfourBeattyUS.com, www.HJRussell.com, http://pegasustexas.com. Design services for the Omni Dallas Hotel project are provided by the team of Design Architect 5Gstudio collaborative, and Architect of Record BOKA Powell. Interior design services provided by Vivian Nichols. For more information on the design team, please visit their individual websites: www.5gstudio.com, www.bokapowell.com, www.vivian-nichols.com. For more information about the design and construction of the Omni Dallas Hotel please go to: http://dallascchotel.com.