J.W. Marriott, Jr., Mayor Vincent C. Gray Lead Topping Off Celebration For The Marriott Marquis Washington DC

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking a major milestone for Washington, D.C., J.W. Marriott, Jr., executive chairman of Marriott International, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, District of Columbia, and dignitaries celebrated the topping off of the Marriott Marquis Washington DC, signifying that the 15-story property has reached its final construction height.   

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130925/PH86679 )

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130903/PH72905LOGO )

Located across the street from Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the 1,175-room property will help the city attract additional convention business by giving the facility an anchor hotel. The company will operate the hotel under its flagship Marriott Hotels brand with 500 properties in 60 countries.

Joining Mr. Marriott and Mayor Gray for this momentous occasion were city officials, community leaders, representatives from Marriott International, Inc., Quadrangle Development, Capstone Development, Destination DC and Events DC. 

"The Marriott Marquis is important not only for the District's convention business, but for our economic development and job creation," said Mayor Vincent C. Gray, District of Columbia. "We are a world-class destination and with the addition of this convention hotel, the District, our nation's capital, is well on the way to be the meeting destination of choice for people not only in the United States but around the world."  

Unveiling its new name and logo for the first time officially, the Marriott Marquis Washington DC will be one of only five Marriott Marquis properties in the country.  After the ceremony, Mr. Marriott hosted invited guests for a sneak peek of the hotel's lobby atrium area where the soon-to-be iconic centerpiece of the hotel – a 56-foot sculpture named "The Birth of the America Flag" created by Baltimore-based artist Rodney Carroll is located.  When completed, the sculpture will reach the fifth floor of the 15-floor building, viewable from the ground-floor lobby, mezzanine, and the interior-facing guestrooms.  Carroll's sculpture will be the largest piece of art in any Marriott hotel.

"Our company's roots run deep in Washington, DC. More than 85 years ago, my parents opened a restaurant just up the street from the new Marriott Marquis Washington DC," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., executive chairman, Marriott International, Inc. "When it opens, the Marriott Marquis Washington DC will quickly exemplify the transformation our Marriott Hotels brand is undergoing as it reimagines the future of travel for the next generation. I am truly excited for the District of Columbia and look forward to welcoming the Marriott associates who will deliver the quality service that is Marriott."

When it opens on May 1, 2014 the $520-million, four-star hotel will have 1,175 rooms including 49 suites, and over 105,000 square feet of function space, as well as five separate restaurant spaces.  Connected directly via underground concourse to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy, the convention center hotel is poised to become the dynamic epicenter and social hub of DC's downtown neighborhood introducing new venues for meetings, conventions, social gatherings and business travelers.

"The opening of the Marriott Marquis Washington DC in May 2014 reinforces Washington, DC as a top-tier convention destination with a world-class headquarters hotel," said Gregory A. O'Dell, president and CEO of Events DC.  "The Marriott Marquis will help Events DC create even greater economic benefits for the residents and businesses of the District of Columbia, and we look forward to building an even stronger partnership with Marriott for many years to come."

Meeting space will include a 30,000-square-foot Marquis Ballroom, two 10,800-square-foot ballrooms, more than 53,000 square feet of superior meeting rooms, an 18,800-square-foot indoor event terrace and a 5,200-square-foot rooftop terrace. Unique to this hotel, the below-grade meeting space has been thoughtfully designed to incorporate natural light that will filter into the meeting space from the open spaces above.

The Marriott Marquis Washington DC was also designed to earn LEED ® Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, registered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  The hotel will be one of the largest hotels in the country to earn Silver certification, verifying that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. 

The hotel is being developed by Quadrangle Development Corporation and Capstone Development and will be operated by Marriott International. Designed by Cooper Carry Architects, Atlanta, and TVS Architects, Atlanta, in a joint-venture collaboration, the building features an innovative top-down construction method, with 15 stories above ground and 94 feet below - nearly as deep as the hotel will be tall.

For more information on the Marriott Marquis Washington DC please visit www.dcmarquis.com.
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Watch construction updates of the Marriott Marquis Washington DC on YouTube: youtube.com/DCMarriottMarquis

The Marriott Marquis Washington DC is scheduled to open in spring 2014 with 1,175 rooms, which includes 49 suites, and over 105,000 square feet of function space, including a 30,000 square-foot Marquis Ballroom with 22' ceilings and two junior ballrooms. Washington Marriott Marquis will be conveniently located next door to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center – and connected via an underground concourse. Set to be the epicenter of downtown, the hotel will transform this neighborhood and introduce a new, exciting venue for social gatherings, business travelers and meetings and conventions. The property will also serve as a brand-new social hub for local residents with a grand atrium lobby, a state-of-the-art bi-level fitness center, and five separate retail and restaurant spaces. The design will be innovative, incorporating the site's original historic Samuel Gompers AFL-CIO headquarters, known as the "Plumbers Building" and is designed to earn LEED® Silver accreditations (one of the largest hotels in the country to earn this eco-friendly distinction). For more information, visit www.washingtonmarriottmarquis.com

About Marriott Hotels
With 500 hotels and resorts in nearly 60 countries around the world, Marriott Hotels is evolving travel through every aspect of the guest's stay, enabling the next generation to Travel Brilliantly. Boldly transforming itself for mobile and global travelers who blend work and play, Marriott leads the industry with innovations, including the Greatroom, Future of Meetings and Mobile Guest Services that elevates style & design and technology. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.