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Aimbridge Hospitality and Greystar Real Estate Partners Announce Grand Opening of Hampton Inn Channel Islands
Total renovation of Casa Sirena Annex signifies completion of the first phase of the multimillion-dollar dual-hotel, public park and promenade project
DALLAS, TEXAS – AUGUST 2, 2007 –The former Casa Sirena Hotel Annex in Oxnard, Calif., celebrates its grand opening today as the Hampton Inn Channel Islands Harbor. Ventura county officials, local businesses and officers from Naval Base Ventura County will attend the event this evening and tour the new 95-room business-class hotel, which now boasts a new pool, breakfast area and meeting facilities.
“We look forward to showcasing this beautiful new facility and we are excited to be part of the revitalization of this spectacular waterfront community,” said David Johnson, President and CEO of Aimbridge Hospitality. “The Channel Islands Harbor redevelopment project will bring new visitors to the area and new tourism dollars to the county. We feel this project is not only a solid real-estate investment, but a community and tourism investment that has already proven to be a big success.”
Johnson said that in addition to providing a fresh oasis for business and leisure travelers looking for a serene environment, under the Hampton flag this property now also offers the latest in guest-service amenities and business-class technologies that today’s guests have come to expect.
In July 2005, Charleston, S.C.-based Greystar Real Estate Partners proposed a redevelopment project to the Ventura County Harbor Commission that involved converting the landmark 273-room Casa Sirena Hotel into two branded hotels. The opening of the Hampton Inn signifies completion of Phase I of the project, which consisted of complete renovation and rebranding of the 95-room annex section of Casa Sirena. Phase II includes demolition of the 176-room main section of the Casa Sirena, construction of a new 225-room three-to-four-star full-service hotel, a new waterfront restaurant (to replace the existing Lobster Trap), an expanded public park and a promenade along the water, all scheduled to take place over the next 18 to 24 months.
According to the Ventura County Star, $200 million has been pledged by various developers for improvements to the Harbor area over the next five to seven years, of which Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC is the majority contributor. Greystar will hold controlling interest in both of the new hotels along with the newly developed $4 million, 485-unit, waterfront Paz Mar apartments. Aimbridge Hospitality will serve as manager/operator of the two hotels, which includes the pending restaurant and retail spaces.
“At Greystar, we are big believers in revitalization,” said Wes Fuller, National Investment Partner with Greystar. “We are proud to be driving the Channel Islands Harbor redevelopment efforts and look forward to continuing our already long-standing partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality. Together we have successfully identified investments with the highest likelihood to succeed and which benefit all concerned – especially the local community and travelers. We look forward to the grand opening and seeing the first phase of this redevelopment project come to fruition.”
The Hampton Inn Channel Islands is among the first projects completed in the Harbor and one of the first to bring much needed tourism dollars to this area, which has struggled for more than a decade as a shopping and tourist destination. If business at the hotel is any indication, plans to revitalize this local community will be a smashing success.
According to Benson Lee, General Manager of the Hampton Inn, the hotel was closed during the 18-month renovation and since re-opening in June their occupancy has already doubled. “Through the ongoing support of Aimbridge and Greystar, we are confident many new visitors will be drawn to Channel Islands Harbor,” Lee added. “This redevelopment project is just the beginning of a soon-to-be-booming tourism destination. We are very excited to be a part of this milestone event and look forward to welcoming our guests this evening.”
Channel Islands Harbor is located on the California coast between Malibu and Santa Barbara. On a daily basis, visitors may dine at Harbor restaurants, shop at a variety of clothing, gift and accessories stores, cruise the Harbor on the Channel Islands Harbor Water Taxi or embark on a boat tour to Channel Islands National Park, one of the area’s main attractions. Visitors also may rent boats, visit the Maritime Museum or enjoy a beautiful day at one of the local beaches.
About Aimbridge Hospitality
Aimbridge Hospitality is a hotel real estate and management company created to identify investment opportunities throughout the United States. Aimbridge provides management, asset management, capital renovation, supervision, accounting and consulting services for its strategic partners. Aimbridge currently operates hotel properties in the Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Sheraton, Hyatt and Wyndham brands. Aimbridge also manages a number of independent hotels, including the Phoenix Inn & Suites brand of hotels and has several projects under development in the Starwood, Marriott and Hilton enterprises. For more information on Aimbridge Hospitality, please visit the company’s Web site at www.aimbridgehospitality.com.
About Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC
Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC, a Charleston, S.C.-based real estate investment firm, is one of the largest third-party apartment property managers in the nation. For more information, visit www.greystar.com.