Strategic Property Partners, LLC Announces JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts Brand as Flag for New Hotel in Downtown Tampa Set to Open in 2020, Underscoring Progress in City's Renaissance

SPP, which is developing downtown's $3 billion Water Street Tampa neighborhood, announced renovations are underway at the adjacent 727-room Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina.  The renovations of the Marriott Waterside Hotel began in the Fall of 2017 and will continue through 2018.   Combined, the two hotels will create the largest collection of hotel rooms and meeting space in Tampa Bay, with 1,246 rooms and 150,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

"We are incredibly excited to extend our partnership with Marriott International, bring the JW Marriott brand to Water Street Tampa and significantly enhance the hospitality offerings in downtown Tampa," said SPP CEO, James Nozar. "Not only are we bringing a new luxury hotel to the neighborhood, we are also reinvesting in the Marriott Waterside Tampa to create a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience for everyone to enjoy, with dynamic outdoor amenities seamlessly connected to the Tampa Riverwalk and adjacent marina."

The hotels will play a key role in the Water Street Tampa neighborhood, a multi-phased urban development project that includes more than 9 million square feet of commercial, residential, hospitality, educational, entertainment, cultural, and retail space, with the first new buildings breaking ground this year.  Named for the historic street on which both hotels are located, the Water Street neighborhood is an ambitious vision that will create one of the largest coordinated urban mixed-use real-estate developments in the United States.

"Marriott International is thrilled to be part of SPP's impressive Water Street Tampa project, which will bring more people, new economic activity and cultural amenities into downtown Tampa," said Noah Silverman, Chief Development Officer, North America Full Service Hotels, Marriott International. "It's a perfect setting both for a new JW Marriott and a fully upgraded Marriott."

JW Marriott Tampa

JW Marriott Tampa will feature 519 hotel rooms and 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the largest hotel ballroom in Tampa Bay at approximately 30,000 square feet.

Designed to be a center of activity, JW Marriott Tampa will offer multiple social spaces and amenities across six levels. The entrance will include a four-story atrium envisioned as an active public space that encourages socialization and collaboration, while the ground floor will feature a full-service restaurant and other neighborhood-serving retail outlets.

The hotel's sixth-floor will house an expansive full-service spa and fitness center, as well as a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, bar, event lawn, an extensive pool and sun terrace.

A rooftop lounge and terrace on the 26th floor of JW Marriott Tampa will boast sweeping 360-degree views of downtown Tampa and Hillsborough Bay, and will be the highest rooftop bar in Tampa Bay.

Designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates with interiors by Champalimaud Design, the new hotel will break ground in early 2018, with a grand opening in 2020.

Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina

Situated directly on the Hillsborough Bay, the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina was originally built in 2000 and acquired by SPP in 2014. The hotel currently houses 719 rooms, which will grow to a total of 727 rooms once renovations are complete, with over 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The extensive renovations to the property are already underway, and include the public spaces, lobby, meeting space, standard guest rooms, the 34 'Stay Well' rooms, and new cultural, social, and gathering spaces.

The new guestrooms and meeting space have been designed by Looney & Associates. The redesigned interiors, informed by the adjacent waterfront, blend together minimalist and coastal elements alongside new artwork, hardwood floors, and modern light fixtures.

The hotel will also re-launch its existing food and beverage offerings and plans to bring in a new, nationally recognized restaurateur to oversee service throughout the ground floor offerings. The new public spaces, designed by The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, include a new sports gastropub, replacing the existing Champions Sports Bar, which will include new outdoor patio seating and direct street access.   Located off of the rear lobby, a new outdoor terrace and bar will open to the waterfront, creating an active and engaging space for locals and visitors alike.  Portions of the existing patio will be sunken to create covered outdoor lounge areas that front onto the Riverwalk and overlook the marina and waterfront. 

Additionally, new retail space will be added to the northwest corner of the property along Water Street, allowing the hotel to embrace the streetscape envisioned for Water Street.  

All improvements to the Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina will be complete in early 2019.

About Strategic Property Partners
Strategic Property Partners ("SPP") is the partnership between Cascade Investment LLC, and Jeff Vinik. SPP is a full-service commercial real estate development firm focused on world-class execution, innovation, and creating high quality and experiential places. SPP's first project, Water Street Tampa, is being developed on over 50 acres of land the company controls in downtown Tampa along the waterfront. The phased Water Street Tampa development project is revitalizing the currently underutilized tract of land to create an urban, mixed-use waterfront district consisting of approximately 9 million square feet of new commercial, residential, hospitality, cultural, entertainment, education, and retail uses, totaling over $3 billion in private investment from SPP. Integrating principles of walkability, sustainability, connectivity, design quality, and wellness, SPP will create, own and operate this new world-class neighborhood in in Tampa, while also elevating the city's national prominence. For more information on Water Street Tampa, visit www.waterstreettampa.com.

About JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to sophisticated, self-assured travelers seeking The JW Treatment™ – the brand's philosophy that true luxury is created by people who are passionate about what they do. JW hotels offer crafted experiences that bring to life the brand's commitment to highly choreographed, anticipatory service and modern residential design, allowing guests to pursue their passions and leave even more fulfilled than when they arrived. Today there are nearly 80 JW Marriott hotels in over 25 countries and territories. JW Marriott is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. Visit JW Marriott online, and on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,400 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 126 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Strategic Property Partners