Marriott Makes Its Mark on Downtown Dallas

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott Hotels & Resorts arrives in downtown Dallas today when the former Westin City Center becomes the Dallas Marriott City Center.  Located on the edge of the nation's largest urban arts district at 650 North Pearl Street Dallas, the AAA-4-Diamond Dallas Marriott City Center features 407 spacious guest rooms and suites along with a spectacular 15-story atrium that opens to a dining and retail complex, complete with an indoor ice-skating arena.

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"We are thrilled to bring Marriott's flagship brand to Dallas, one of the most vibrant cities in America," said Terri Dolan, regional vice president for the Marriott's Western Region. "We are surrounded by high-profile corporations and in the center of one of the nation's premiere and emerging arts districts with destinations for high profile shopping and world-class restaurants."

The hotel will undergo an extensive renovation over the next year, including a complete remodeling of the guest rooms, the addition of a concierge lounge, creation of a state-of-the-art fitness facility overlooking downtown Dallas and extensive upgrades to the restaurant and lobby area.

The hotel, which had been a Westin property since 2003, features the award-winning new American cuisine 650 North Bar and Restaurant and is within walking distance of dozens of arts, shopping, dining, entertainment and business destinations.

Adjacent to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail system, the hotel is just eight blocks from the Dallas Convention Center, 30 minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and 15 minutes from Dallas Love Field.

The hotel also offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space, including:

* Twelve meeting rooms - all with high-speed Internet access

* Plaza Ballroom - with more than 8,000 square feet of classic and elegant reception space

* Normandy Room - an intimate and sophisticated setting for dinners of up to 120 guests

* Atrium - a soaring 15-story space that can host up to 2,000 reception guests

The Dallas Marriott City Center will offer special ice skating, dining, entertainment and shopping packages as part of their introduction to Downtown Dallas.

The hotel's new General Manager, Nour Laasri joins the Dallas Marriott City Center from the Dallas/Fort Worth Solana Marriott and has also served as the Senior Regional Director of Franchise Sales and Operations in Marriott's Western Region.  Andrew Pena will serve as Director of Sales & Marketing.

The property is owned by Inland American Real Estate Trust, Inc., a Oak

Brook, Illinois-based real estate investment trust, and managed by Marriott International, Inc. under a long-term agreement.

For more information about the Marriott Dallas City Center, visit www.dallasmarriottcitycenter.com or call 214-979-9000.

Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International's iconic business brand and flagship, inspires your best performance during travel and helps you work, relax and recharge in your own way, at nearly 500 hotels in 60 countries. Marriott Hotels support and inspire guests each and every time with real comfort, warmth and genuine care delivered through associates and experiences that help working, relaxing and connecting with others happen – so they can seize the day and prepare for the next.  Marriott believes that tomorrow is a new opportunity to do something great.  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.  For more information visit www.meetthedriven.com.

For more information on Marriott (NYSE: MAR), visit Marriott International, Inc.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.