Houston Convention Center Hotel Corporation
Houston, Texas

Architect: Gensler

Project Overview
The Houston Convention Center Hotel Corporation is a non-profit corporation created February 2, 2000, by the Houston City Council with a mandate to build a 1,200-room convention center Head Quarters hotel. By virtue of its connection to the soon-to-be expanded George R. Brown Convention Center, the hotel will provide a unique opportunity for conventioneers to stay, meet and mingle in a way unlike any other convention center in the United States.

The downtown hotel will be connected to the George R. Brown Convention Center and a 1,600-stall parking garage by elevated pedestrian sky bridges. The hotel design features three guest towers of 14 stories, 17 stories and 23 stories in height. They are built in a U-shape around a six-story podium structure containing meeting rooms, ballrooms and commons areas. There will be 27 meeting rooms, a 25,000-square foot junior ballroom and a one-acre, 40,000 square foot grand ballroom. The hotel will be located across the street from the soon-to-be completed indoor sports arena, down the street from Enron Field, and within walking distance to all the amenities of Houston's thriving central business district. Groundbreaking occurred in 2001. Construction will be complete by late 2003.

Hines is the project developer, Gensler & Associates is the architect of record, Turner Construction Company is the general contractor and Hilton Hotels Corporation has been selected as the hotel operator.