New Hotels

[cajun]

That Sheraton @ the casino should have been a holiday inn, it was not up to Sheraton standards, I used to be a bellman there, met Jessie Jackson, he gave me a 100 tip, other than that, I hate to see this name go.

I didn't want to be the first to say that it wasn't a great "Sheraton", but I agree with you completely (it's a great place to stay...but it's just not priced correctly for what you get). For what they charge on a regular basis, there is no reason to stay there. It's a better fit for a Hampton or Drury....which aren't bad hotels.

Hilton provides a superior product in the same neighborhood for around the same price. The Hilton also is within walking distance of most of the downtown activities.

Argosy Casino should have put more effort into their hotel. What am I saying? They should have put more effort into their boat! It's a dump. If we have to have a riverboat casino, it should be good enough to attract visitors from outside the region. If it were half as good as the Lake Charles casinos, they could fill their hotel up regularly. Disclaimer: I'm against the presence of casinos in Baton Rouge....but I do think that if they are going to be here, we should exploit them for tourist dollars. They must attract people to the city to offset the peak seasons: LSU football, Mardi Gras, etc.

Edited April 21, 2010 by cajun

[cajun]

Maybe the Sheraton will set up in Perkins Rowe or the Swaggart dorm??

What happened to the plans to rennovate the old Swaggart dorm into a hotel? Did that fall victim to the recession?

All these hotels need is for a mean Hurricane season. When people evacuate the Mississippi Gulf Coast, New Orleans, and the Houma region- these hotels all get booked up completely and pretty much make their year in just a few days.

2009 was a weak Hurricane season (thankfully).

[byrde]

I didn't want to be the first to say that it wasn't a great "Sheraton", but I agree with you completely (it's a great place to stay...but it's just not priced correctly for what you get). For what they charge on a regular basis, there is no reason to stay there. It's a better fit for a Hampton or Drury....which aren't bad hotels.

Hilton provides a superior product in the same neighborhood for around the same price. The Hilton also is within walking distance of most of the downtown activities.

Argosy Casino should have put more effort into their hotel. What am I saying? They should have put more effort into their boat! It's a dump. If we have to have a riverboat casino, it should be good enough to attract visitors from outside the region. If it were half as good as the Lake Charles casinos, they could fill their hotel up regularly. Disclaimer: I'm against the presence of casinos in Baton Rouge....but I do think that if they are going to be here, we should exploit them for tourist dollars. They must attract people to the city to offset the peak seasons: LSU football, Mardi Gras, etc.

I have to agree that the quality of the hotel was not up to "Sheraton" standards. It was way over priced for what you actually received in the way of hotel accommodations. I know they have not said anything about getting another national chain in their, but I think it is important that they have the ability to tap into a national reservation system for people that travel to BR to do business with the state.

[richyb83]

This isn't dead yet...

Developer looks at redesigning structure

Developer Mike Wampold said Tuesday that crews are driving test piles at the former Swaggart Ministries dormitory on Bluebonnet and the effort to turn the building into a four-star hotel is at least a month away from getting financing. Wampold said test piles are being driven to help determine construction costs on the project, which has been redesigned.

The concrete structure has sat half-completed for years near Bluebonnet Boulevard and Anselmo Lane and was purchased by Wampold in late 2004.

Wampold’s proposal to convert the structure to a 220-room hotel has been granted tax credits by the city-parish under the state’s restoration tax abatement program and was granted Tax Incremental Financing status by the Legislature. Tax Incremental Financing allows developers to dedicate a portion of a project’s future sales tax revenue to help construct roads, infrastructure and even buildings to house new businesses.

Wampold said the hotel project has been dormant since the financial crisis froze credit markets, but he said he’s optimistic the climate for financing commercial real estate deals is on the upswing. He is still in talks with Marriot about luring its Renaissance brand. He said a formal announcement on the project is at least a couple months away, if the financing falls into place

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/business/94895384.html

[dan326]

Great! I figured it was dead too.

[dan326]

I have faith, he seems to usually get big projects done.

Wampold files permit for Renaissance Hotel

Developer Mike Wampold filed a building permit this week to turn the partially completed Jimmy Swaggart Ministries dormitory into a hotel. Even though the permit has been filed, Wampold says, there's nothing definite about the project, which would convert the Bluebonnet Boulevard structure into a 260-room Renaissance Hotel. "We should get the financing straightened out in the next couple of weeks," he says, adding he wanted to initiate the process because the project is moving closer to becoming a reality. The project has been stalled by the recession and the credit crisis. Last year, the Legislature passed a bill to allow for tax-increment financing, which allows projected sales tax revenue from the hotel to back bonds to pay for construction or renovation costs. Plans for the hotel include 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, and a spa and fitness center.

From: businessreport.com

[byrde]

Man I hope Wampold can get that thing off the ground and completed. That building has been a scar on the city for far to long.

[dan326]

I hope this actually happens!!

"Preis plans downtown hotel

Plans are in the works to build a 137-room Hampton Inn & Suites at Lafayette and Main streets in downtown Baton Rouge. Developer Richard Preis is working with Windsor/Aughtry Co. of Greenville, S.C., to build the seven-story hotel. The hotel will be built on a parking lot, across from Preis' long-proposed RiverPlace condominium development. But while RiverPlace has been sidelined because of financing difficulties, Preis says the money to build the $15 million to $16 million hotel is lined up. Pending approval from the city-parish Planning Commission, work on the Hampton Inn could start in May, with an opening set for fall 2012. Preis says the hotel will create about 40 full- and part-time jobs. Windsor/Aughtry has done downtown Hampton Inn developments of similar size in Greenville, S.C., Columbia, S.C., Tallahassee, Fla., and Gainesville, Fla. To see what some of their properties look like, click here.

A three-party land deal involving Gordon LeBlanc, who owns the Lafayette Street parking lot that will be the site of the hotel, and St. James Episcopal Church paved the way for the Hampton Inn project. Preis will get LeBlanc's Lafayette Street lot. St. James will get a half-acre of land Preis owns across from the church, and LeBlanc will get about 14,000 square feet of land St. James owns at the corner of Third and Florida streets. Preis says the deal is a "win-win for everyone" in that he gets land to build a hotel, St. James gets property for future growth of the church, and LeBlanc ends up with 21,000 square feet of land at the corner of Third and Florida once it is incorporated with his existing holdings. LeBlanc, who hopes to do a mixed-use development at the corner on the site, says this gives him more space to do something. Preis says the Hampton Inn project will enhance plans for RiverPlace and "another nice announcement" will come in the future."

Edited October 7, 2010 by dan326

[buckett5425]

Its really exciting to see this kind of development coming to downtown, I just wish the architecture were more contemporary.

[richyb83]

Interesting...good news it's being built on dreaded surface parking lot! I like the sleek design they have developed in Greenville SC. This looks more run-of-the-mill. That side(north end) of Third Street could really use an entertainment anchor/theatre to compliment this new hotel. Will it be able to compete with the Hotel Indigo(currently being renovated) a few blocks away?? Some people think we don't need anymore hotel-rooms downtown.

I nearly cringed when seeing the article at first glance...thought River Place might officially be going-under...thankfully that's not the case! Something going across the street is nice!

Would be fantastic for a mixed-use development to go-up at LeBlanc's new site; perfect location at Third & Florida! Rumor had it being 5 to 7 stories possibly...

Edited October 8, 2010 by richyb83

[byrde]

This hotel is something I've always felt we needed downtown. A family friendly hotel will only add to the different types of people we can attract to downtown BR for a night or two. The Hilton is very nice, but to costly for a family. The Indigo will be very nice, but it is not going to be one that will attract a lot of families with active kids. The Hampton will fill that void.

[cajun]

This hotel is something I've always felt we needed downtown. A family friendly hotel will only add to the different types of people we can attract to downtown BR for a night or two. The Hilton is very nice, but to costly for a family. The Indigo will be very nice, but it is not going to be one that will attract a lot of families with active kids. The Hampton will fill that void.

Exactly....this makes the whole area more attractive to business and family travelers.

Hopefully it's better quality than the typical Hampton. The plans look generic so far...but at least it's not going to be so large that it stands out too much.

[richyb83]

Good to see you back here Bryde

Good points... nice to see them fil that void downtown...also in the follow-up article in Advocate... Preis said it would be used for the legislatures/gov. too

DDD's goal was for 1,000 rooms for conventions; this hotel would bring it up to near 800...200 more to go!

[cajun]

Good to see you back here Bryde

Good points... nice to see them fil that void downtown...also in the follow-up article in Advocate... Preis said it would be used for the legislatures/gov. too

DDD's goal was for 1,000 rooms for conventions; this hotel would bring it up to near 800...200 more to go!

Not to sound overconfident, but I think DDD needs to raise their goal.

With Pinnacle coming to town, it would be downright stupid for the Hollywood Rouge Casino to not build a resort hotel. It's already in the works, though I wouldn't consider its location downtown....It does help. That being said, casinos are pretty self-sustaining. People who go there don't often seem to enjoy the rest of the neighborhood- and that's assuming the casino is actually attracting regional visitors. In Baton Rouge's case, I don't think casinos are doing much more than attracting metro residents, given the quality of the establishments.

I kinda have my hopes up for a W hotel, or at least a Double Tree, replacing the old Entergy property near the new Courthouse. Something eye catching would be nice, but it also has to cater to business people to survive so it can't be overly expensive. I'm actually glad that Hampton is going in. That eliminates some likelyhood that moderate/low end flags would move into downtown in the future since it's already saturated by the Hampton.

People dont' bring their kitchens with them when they travel. They don't bring entertainment and drinks with the luggage. Hotel guest have no choice but to go out and patronize the neighborhood establishements. That's why hotels are so important to downtown's growth. The Hilton Capitol House was the biggest thing to happen to downtown. If you asked me, I would say that it was the chicken that laid the egg. It's what got the ball rolling on its own and put the neighborhood on the path it is today. It's the reason that the city can actually back off of massive incentives and special taxing districts like they had to resort to before the Hilton was completed.

Edited October 13, 2010 by cajun

[richyb83]

Cajun...are you including the EBRATS Bldg as part of the old Entergy bldg property?? Something sure does need to be done...more than just a parking garage; include some street level retail w/ hotel on top...W' hotel at North Blvd Town Square sounds nice! Or maybe just extra office space on top??

Lafayette Street could be one cool place rivaling Third Street IMO if done right! The Jumonville warehouse across the street from the Hilton CapitolHouse still remains an eye-sore after all these years...still no word from Trahan Architects who own it...probably suffering from the economic credit squeeze like RiverPlace, River Park, etc...

Shaw Center for the Arts was the cornerstone/catalyst for downtown..the next year the renovated Capitol House marked the renaisance/re-birth of downtown...they made a nice synergy...let the dominos contue to fall...what might be a good entertainment anchor for the north end of Third Street?? The Palms on Third at the old Commerce bldg ws a great idea IMO; too bad it was nothing more than a fancy prank from some local owners to get the Metro Council to step-it up with the Arts & Entertainment District.

Edited October 13, 2010 by richyb83

[cajun]

Cajun...are you including the EBRATS Bldg as part of the old Entergy bldg property?? Something sure does need to be done...more than just a parking garage; include some street level retail w/ hotel on top...W' hotel at North Blvd Town Square sounds nice! Or maybe just extra office space on top??

Yeah, I meant the EBRATs building. Sorry about that. I'm not a huge fan of that old building. Even when it was maintained, it was a completely dehumanizing detachment from the neighborhood around it. I thought Entergy owned that whole block.

I don't even know what the hell I'd call that half baked design. It's an empty office building that looks like a parking deck. Surely, it couldn't have always been an office building. It looks like it may have once been some kind of big box department store or warehouse (or served some other inwardly-focused business function) that someone lazily and cheaply cut out some window rough-ins and turned it into cheap office space. Some old style car dealerships looked like that too.

I hope it gets the wrecking ball...and quick. I'm kinda picky about these things, but at this point, anything but a surface parking lot would be an improvement. I'm personally rooting for an attractive hotel or hospitality building. It would be ideal for a larger, taller building considering that it could be seen from the interstate. With the improvements going on nearby, it's going to be something nice.

The Entergy Building next door isn't much better either, but it at least still serves some kind of function and holds much more promise if someone was willing to spend a little money on it.

Edited October 17, 2010 by cajun

[dan326]

Cool!!

"Preis hotel approved: Says deal ‘signed, sealed and delivered’

The city-parish Planning Commission Monday approved plans for a 137-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel in downtown Baton Rouge. Richard Preis, the developer who is working with Windsor/Aughtry Co. of Greenville, S.C., to build the seven-story hotel, says contrary to rumors, the deal is "signed, sealed and delivered." Preis says the first phase of the three-part land swap, which involved Windsor/Aughtry buying a parking lot at the corner of Main and Lafayette streets, which will be the site of the hotel, should be completed by the end of this week. Some site work started last week, and the hotel is set to open in fall 2012."

businessreport.com

[richyb83]

This has to rank around the top of the list I'd hope to see of all the "non" downtown projects to finally get off the ground!

Wampold gets permit for hotel, but still not discussing project

Mike Wampold has gotten a building permit to turn the partially completed Jimmy Swaggart Ministries dormitory on Bluebonnet Boulevard into a 256-room hotel. And he's working with Roy Anderson, a Gulfport, Miss.-based company that specializes in hotel and casino construction. But Wampold says there are still some details that need to be worked out regarding financing and franchising. Wampold bought the dorm from Swaggart years ago, but the project was stalled by the recession and the credit crisis. Last year, the Legislature passed a bill to allow for tax-increment financing, which permits projected sales tax revenue from the hotel to back bonds to pay for construction or renovation costs. Plans for the hotel include 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, and a spa and fitness center.

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/real-estate-weekly/latest/

Edited November 23, 2010 by richyb83

[hagetaka]

any mid tier hotels downtown would work. Indigo looks good so far, the lobby will be well lit, lots of glass I see, & a hotel that close to the courthouse, it's possible I think. any life downtown is better than none, go hotels & river place, hopefully if it's but it will include.

wb Byrde

[Antrell Williams]

Do you have a rendering of the Indigo?

[hagetaka]

they working on the Bluebonnet hotel now, passed by yesterday, saw some equipment out there. CompUSA is gone too, I know they putting a red lobster there.

[dan326]

^^^The Indigo Hotel is the old King Hotel across from the Hilton downtown.

I swear this number changes everytime they talk about it.

"Wampold announces opening date for hotel

A 256-room Renaissance hotel is set to open in August, developer Mike Wampold announced today. The hotel will be built on Bluebonnet Boulevard, at the site of a partially completed Jimmy Swaggart Ministries dorm. Work on the hotel started in 2007, but the project was put on hold because of the national recession. Wampold has trimmed down the projected size of the hotel; the plans first announced in 2007 called for a 348-room property. The Renaissance, a Marriott-affiliated brand, will have 12,000 square feet of meeting space, along with a spa, a fine-dining restaurant and a resort-style pool. Marriott operates 143 Renaissance branded properties around the world. Davidson Hotel Companies, a Memphis-based firm, will manage the hotel. Construction of the Renaissance will generate 500 jobs; when completed, the property is expected to employ 150 people."

[Antrell Williams]

Is it the larger building located closest to I-10? I'd sure love to see a rendering.

[richyb83]

Great to see this dreaded eye-sore finally turning into something nice! Tighter money-market is responsible for the downsizing from 348 to 256 rooms..

Here is the article from the Advocate this morning...

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/latest/111900694.html

Here is the rendering...

*took this pic last Thursday...finally posting it

[Antrell Williams]

Bluebonnet is going to be NICE.