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Thread: Hilton Skirvin Hotel

  1. #201

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Cool. I'm getting married that weekend. Perhaps we can be the first to stay there then!

  2. #202

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Anybody know who is planning to operate the 'signature restaurant' on the ground floor?

    It was beautiful space even before the renovation... Sure to be a very special place to dine.

  3. #203

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    To my knowledge, they haven't announced it yet. It could be their own management group. It's not a "boutique hotel" that is locally owned like the Colcord with Paul Coury and their restaurant Soleil with the Bouthions.

  4. #204

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Just got this breaking email from OKCBusiness.com. I'm sure the Daily Disappointment will cover it Thursday.

    Skirvin Hilton sets opening date: Feb. 26
    By Heidi Rambo Centrella - 1/9/2007


    The date is officially set. The 95-year-old, historic Skirvin Hilton will reopen Feb. 26 after undergoing a $55 million renovation.


    “That is our day, and we should make that pretty easily at this point,” said General Manager John Williams. “It’s always a horse race at the end and lots of things are still flying in…but I feel very confident that the hotel will be finished, open and operating at a 99-percent level on Feb. 26.”


    Williams made the announcement Jan. 9 at the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City meeting.


    Furthermore, he announced the hotel will employ an estimated 200 people and will begin hiring at a job fair scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 22-27 at the Santa Fe Parking Garage.


    The hotel will boast 225 rooms, to include 20 one-bedroom suites, a presidential suite and approximately 18,500 square feet of space comprised of six meeting rooms for larger functions, with capacity for 410 or fewer people, and four board rooms, with capacity for 34 or fewer people.


    Rooms, he said, will feature all the bells and whistles from a technology standpoint - to include heated mirrors in the bathrooms. And the 1,800-square-foot health club and swimming pool will be located in the basement.


    Room rates will be at the higher end of the Oklahoma City market, around $189-$199 per night for a standard guest room.


    “But, you’ve got to keep in mind that the hotel business is a business of supply and demand,” Williams said. “When the market is busy, prices go up. And when the market is not busy, prices go down. But our intent is to operate at a four-star, four-diamond level…and I think people will find great value at that price point.”


    The Red Piano lounge will provide live music six nights a week, Williams said, adding that it will be a “very sophisticated, very upscale lounge experience.”


    The Park Avenue Grill, he promised, will not be a “stuffy, snooty, formal hotel restaurant.”


    “It’s a grill,” he said. “It’s straight-up American cuisine with an Oklahoma twist and a little bit of a Southwestern influence for lunch and dinner.”


    Williams said he hopes to hold a grand opening the day prior to its official opening, but that has yet to be confirmed.


    Later this week, he said, the Hilton Web site should be reconfigured to show availability for booking during the March Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, however, as of the time of announcement, the Web site still showed reservations are not being accepted until May.


    “That’s the plan,” he said. “Hopefully, by the end of the week, you’ll be able to go to the Hilton 800 number or the Hilton.com Web site and book us for Big 12.”


    To date, Williams said the hotel already has between 131-133 rooms booked by teams and for associated meeting planners.


    “The pre-booking has been great,” he said. “And our wedding activity has been phenomenal. It’s amazing how many people want to have their wedding receptions here.”


    Plans also include one small “high-end, upscale” retail shop. However, because the lease has not yet been fully executed, he could not disclose the name of the tenant.


    Meeting space at the Skirvin Hilton consists of 18,500 square feet, including:


    Meeting Rooms

    The Grand Ballroom: Capacity, 410

    The Centennial Ballroom: Capacity, 140

    Historic Venetian Room: Capacity, 180

    Historic Continental Room: Capacity, 100

    The Founders Room: 1,444 square feet

    The Crystal Room: Capacity, 120


    Board rooms

    William Skirvin Room: Seats 17

    Perle Mesta Room: Seats 14

    Overholser Room: Seats 14

    Hilton Honors Lounge: Seats 34

    Ante rooms for private meeting and billiards room


    Pamela Grady contributed to this report.



    OKCBusiness is celebrating Oklahoma's Centennial with a Centennial Web Special! Get 100 days of online promotion for $1000. Contact jlynn@okcbusiness.com


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    OKCBusiness, Copyright © 2007, All Rights Reserved.

  5. #205

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Room rates will be at the higher end of the Oklahoma City market, around $189-$199 per night for a standard guest room.
    That's very reasonable for such a nice, full-service hotel.

    However, I bet there won't be many days available at that rate, as demand is sure to be very high.


    I absolutely can't wait to see the lobby, the meeting rooms (epspecially the big one on the top floor), the restaurant and the lounge. This is going to be one of the best things to happen OKC in a while.

  6. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Quote Originally Posted by metro View Post
    The Red Piano lounge will provide live music six nights a week, Williams said, adding that it will be a “very sophisticated, very upscale lounge experience.”


    The Park Avenue Grill, he promised, will not be a “stuffy, snooty, formal hotel restaurant.”


    “It’s a grill,” he said. “It’s straight-up American cuisine with an Oklahoma twist and a little bit of a Southwestern influence for lunch and dinner.”
    For our grand historic hotel, I actually would want something snooty and stuffy. I understand wanting to appeal to a wide range of diners, but come on, this is supposed to be OKC's best. This isn't the Marriott on Northwest Experessway or Meridian, it should be the pinnacle of culinary hospitality. The "signature restaurant" should be more than what can be normally found elsewhere in the city. We'll see; I like that it is Oklahoman and Southwestern. I like the description of the piano lounge as well.
    Continue the Renaissance

  7. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Quote Originally Posted by metro View Post
    Cool. I'm getting married that weekend. Perhaps we can be the first to stay there then!

    No kidding? Congratulations, Metro!

    ---------------------------------------------

  8. #208

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Thanks writewranger.

  9. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Ahem. I recall someone on the Tulsa Now forum in 2004 told me they doubt the Skirvin project would ever get off the ground, and that the Mayo in Tulsa would be reopened as a hotel before the Skirvin.

    Umm... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
    Continue the Renaissance!!!

  10. #210

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    For our grand historic hotel, I actually would want something snooty and stuffy.
    I agree, floater.

    If the Skirvin is to be the best hotel in town (and perhaps the entire state) why not have an upscale restaurant?

    There are tons of casual dining options very near the hotel -- we need more nice places.

  11. #211

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    well said floater and Malibu, we don't need another casual restaurant, we need more snooty high style places to raise our outsider image. what better place to raise that image than a high end hotel where outsiders will be staying.

  12. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Look for the upscale boutique to be a local upscale player...

    *cough*Balliet's*cough*

  13. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Interesting. They have a location at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs I believe.

  14. #214

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Skirvin Hilton slates Feb. 26 opening day

    By Steve Lackmeyer
    Business Writer

    Reservations won't be available for another week, but the general manager of the Skirvin Hilton promised Tuesday the landmark will celebrate its grand opening Feb. 26.
    General Manager John Williams also hinted to the Oklahoma City Rotary Club the hotel may entertain an open house the day before the opening — if arrangements can be made with the Hilton Hotel Corp.

    "This is a Hilton brand standard: a representative of the Hilton Hotel Corporation has to be actually standing in the hotel, inspecting it, doing a final walk though the morning we open,” Williams said. "I can't open the hotel unless they are with me. It's one of the things they do to protect their brand, and if I owned the brand, I would do the same thing.”

    Williams said the Hilton reservations system is expected to start taking reservations within the next week for the Big 12 Basketball Tournament in March.

    He also announced the hotel will seek to fill more than 200 positions with a job fair Jan. 22 through Jan. 27 at the adjoining Santa Fe Plaza.

    Roy Williams, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, praised the effort, calling the Skirvin "the most stunning” hotel to be opened downtown. He reminded Rotary members downtown was home to only one hotel seven years ago.

    He said the Skirvin played a key role in the city luring the Big 12 tournament and its expected fan base of thousands to downtown's Ford Center and the Cox Convention Center.

    "Instead of one hotel to choose from, you will soon have six with more than 1,400 rooms,” Roy Williams said.

    The Skirvin is a historic downtown landmark, opened in 1911 and closed in 1988. A $55 million renovation started in 2005 includes a restoration of the facade, lobby and 14th floor Venetian and Continental banquet rooms. All of the room floors were gutted, and contractors replaced all electrical, plumbing, heating and air systems.

    Construction was evident throughout the hotel after John Williams' speech. Restoration and duplication of mosaic tiling in the hotel's old coffee shop appeared complete Tuesday, though workers still were completing the future dining room and kitchen. Several of the room floors were virtually complete, and John Williams reported furniture will arrive later this month.

    "People don't understand how these things come together on the eleventh hour and 59th minute,” John Williams said. "It's a horse race. We're there.”

  15. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    I would love to check out the open house if they do it.

  16. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    General Manager John Williams also hinted to the Oklahoma City Rotary Club the hotel may entertain an open house the day before the opening — if arrangements can be made with the Hilton Hotel Corp.
    Not to rain on the parade as I am excited about this as everybody else, but maybe Hilton should be reminded about how many MILLIONS of dollars that taxpayers put into this project. I would think - at the least - they can "arrange" an open house.

    As an aside, there was a time when the idea of taxpayer funds going to things like hotel renovations for a private interest would have been looked on as scandolous. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the Skirvin is reopening, but wow, have things changed.
    -------------------

  17. #217

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    If they have an open house can we get Paris Hilton there? Grrrrrrrrr!

  18. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Man I hope not traxx. cause that's not hot.

    And I believe that the OKC Rotary met at the Skirvin before it closed, so its more of a welcome home for them so don't feel bad.

    And I believe that they are supposed to be selling out rooms for March Madness as soon as they open, so they may not even have the place ready for an open house....just trying to make sure things are good for their first guests....hiring and training staff and getting the flow down and stuff.

  19. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    It's been my very good fortune to be invited to tour the inside of the Skirvin Hilton on Friday, 1/26/07. A preliminary post in my blog about that is here ... hopefully there will be lots of pics that I can (with permission) post here over the weekend ... Doug Dawgz Blog: Skirvin Hilton Preview

  20. #220

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Sweet!

    Even if you can't post pictures right away I really look forward to your update.

  21. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    I was down there shooting some video this afternoon and it is looking so nice. Kudos to Marcus Hotels and their partners.

  22. #222

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Skirvin taking shape
    by Kelley Chambers
    The Journal Record
    1/26/2007


    OKLAHOMA CITY – Exactly one month before its reopening, it is hard to find a nook or cranny at the Skirvin Hilton where someone is not engaged in some construction and restoration aspect of the nearly century-old hotel.

    In a speech a few weeks ago, John Williams, the hotel’s general manager, announced that the hotel would officially open on Feb. 26 and that it would be about 99-percent ready at that point.

    This week he said he’s sticking by that number.

    “I always say 99 because something isn’t going to work,” he said. “Ninety-nine is a good number.”

    Williams said work is progressing on schedule for the most part, despite delays caused by the recent winter weather.

    He said while the weather halted exterior work, crews have been engaged in making up time to complete the entryway and sidewalk in front of the hotel.

    The hotel, which is a Hilton Hotels Corp. franchise, must gain the approval and meet Hilton standards before it officially opens.

    Williams said representatives from Hilton will come to the hotel Feb. 20 for a final architectural and design review. The final commission inspection of the hotel will happen the morning of Feb. 26 when the hotel is set to open.

    Inside, the lobby is taking shape and both the Red Piano Lounge and the Park Avenue Grill on the lobby level are being set up with the necessary amenities.

    In the kitchen, most of the equipment is in place and waiting to be hooked up.

    Most of the guest room floors are also completed and awaiting furniture.

    On the 14th floor, work is under way on two ballrooms including the Venetian Room, which is in the process of being repainted as workers install a handmade wood parquet floor.

    Perhaps two of the biggest recent improvements include a working elevator and renovations to the basement level of the building.

    In the basement, workers have taken an open cavernous space and put up walls for offices and the health club and restored the swimming pool and hot tub.

  23. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    With everlasting thanks to Dan Mahoney who works with the Gooden Group public relations firm, my 1/26/2007 Skirvin Hilton tour was a thriller for me! My Skirvin Hilton Preview blog post, containing 56 images, is done: Doug Dawgz Blog: Skirvin Hilton Preview.

    In the blog post, images are 490 px wide (like those shown below), but in the blog article you can click on such images for a larger view, usually 1024 px wide. I'm including a sampler of the 56 blog pics below, without other description here:














































    A gala grand opening will occur in late February, open to the public. Watch the news and BE THERE! And be sure to read tomorrow's (Sunday's) Oklahoman!

  24. #224

    Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Thanks so much, Doug.

    You can clearly see the amount of detail in the millwork and tile...

    To me, this reopening will be the most important and exciting of everything that's taken place to date.

  25. Default Re: Skirvin Progress

    Quote Originally Posted by MalibuSooner View Post
    Thanks so much, Doug.

    You can clearly see the amount of detail in the millwork and tile...

    To me, this reopening will be the most important and exciting of everything that's taken place to date.
    Yes, I agree. Have a look at these 1024 px wide views of the entrance to the Park Avenue Grill, the hotel's restaurant ...





    The Skirvin Hilton will clearly be the "class" of downtown hotels, and taking its rightful place as such, imo, but, more, it will bring our past forward to and join with our present and will tie it all together so wonderfully well! Bill Skirvin would be proud! No disrespect at all to the very fine Colcord Hotel, but there really is no comparison in a historical perspective. Talk about "Vanished Splendor"? The Skirvin Hilton tells us that that is NOT the case!

    A gala "Grand Opening" is apparently planned, open to the public, with some "special" things happening at that time. I can't wait!

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