PITTSBURGH HOTEL BUSINESS. has learned that the Sports & Exhibition Authority, a city-county agency overseeing the Pittsburgh convention center project, has hired a consulting firm to conduct a $30,000 feasibility study of the two proposals for a new Pittsburgh Convention Center hotel. Pending the result of the study, and a financial analysis, the company s board will vote to enter into an exclusive agreement with one of the two hotel companies involved- Hyatt Hotels Corp. or Forest City Enterprises, owner of the Doubletree Hotel Pittsburgh. A decision is expected within the next 60-90 days, according to spokesperson from Sports & Exposition Authority.
Hyatt has proposed building a new 750-room hotel, while Forest City proposed a 400-room expansion of its existing 615-room Doubletree hotel, which would then be reflagged as a Hilton.
The expansion of the convention center, which boosts the facility s size from 131,000 square feet to 330,000 square feet of exhibition space, is scheduled to be complete by 2003. The expanded facility will allow the city to accommodate approximately 90% of the existing convention shows, a spokesperson said.
Construction for the convention center hotel is expected to begin next spring, with its opening anticipated in coordination with the convention center in 2003. (10/17/00) Diana M. Rodriguez