SPRINGFIELD, MO— John Q. Hammons will develop a new $40-million, 300-suite Embassy Suites Hotel located in downtown Huntsvilles cultural and entertainment district. Expected to pump over $15 million annually into the Huntsville economy, the 10-story Embassy Suites Hotel will adjoin the citys 600,000-square-foot Von Braun Center via a climate controlled sky bridge. The Von Braun Center anchors downtown Huntsville and houses 170,000 square feet of convention space, in addition to a sports arena, concert hall and playhouse. The Embassy Suites Hotel – Huntsville will be owned by John Q. Hammons and will be managed by Springfield, MO-based John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. Construction of the new property is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2004 followed by a grand opening in the third quarter of 2005. The new development will be Hammons second hotel to be built in the state of Alabama and will complement the companys portfolio of almost 60 hotels. The hotel will feature the signature atrium style of John Q. Hammons Hotels, with decor that will emit a contemporary flair, said Hammons. The property will offer a private bedroom in every suite, a living room with a sofa sleeper, wet bar, refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker. In addition, each of the hotels 300 suites will be equipped with two color televisions, high-speed Internet service, customizable voicemail, Nintendo 64 and WebTV. Travelers also will be able to enjoy a sports bar restaurant and lounge. Nestled among mountains in North Alabama, Huntsville is a growing city with a local economy that is described by the company as strong, fueled by high tech companies, federal programs related to national defense and space exploration, as well as many Fortune 500 companies and homegrown firms in the aerospace and electronics industry.
