WASHINGTON, D.C. MeriStar Hotels & Resorts Chairman/CEO Paul Whetsell sketched out details of a “multi-million-dollar investment” to develop and implement the Doral International name. This affirms his company s determination to “move forward” in the wake of the recently cancelled merger plans with American Skiing Co.
As Whetsell pointed out, the company will ultimately grow the Doral portfolio “primarily by buying and renovating existing destination-type resort hotels and conference centers, rather than by building them.” He further noted that the company would be “adding to rather than replacing marketing programs in place,” with the expectation that this would “allow the newly designated properties to perform better.”
In the course of renaming MeriStar Hotels & Resorts under the Doral brand, Whetsell reported that current plans call for “the opening and operation of between 10 and 15 Doral properties over the course of the next three years.” Additionally, while the initial focus of the roll-out will be decidedly domestic, he noted that “the Doral name nonetheless lends itself to worldwide implementation as well, [should the appropriate opportunities arise].”
At this time, the Doral name appears officially on a trio of properties: the Doral Palm Springs Resort & Golf Club in Cathedral City, CA; the Doral Forrestal Hotel & Conference Center in Princeton, NJ; and The Doral Resort at Palmas del Mar, Humacao, Puerto Rico. Other sites to be renamed include the Nordic Hills Resort & Conference Center in Itasca, IL and Safety Harbor Resort & Spa in Safety Harbor, FL. (4/2/01) Michael Billig