MINNEAPOLIS—Radisson Blu has completed the multi-million dollar transformation of Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis into Radisson Blu Minneapolis, set to open July 7, 2014.
Managed by Atlanta-based The John Hardy Group, the property features more than 360 rooms, 29,000 sq. ft. of new meeting and event space, a 24-hr. business center, Business Class by Radisson Lounge and the updated FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar.
Jim Hamilton of UK-based Graven Images was charged with maintaining the site’s historical significance while updating it with Radisson Blu’s modern style. Graven Images partnered with NYC-based Stonehill & Taylor on the property’s interior design and architecture.
The hotel porte-cochère, an architectural attribute of Minneapolis, has been enhanced with the introduction of theater-inspired canopies along the entrance with LED lights. The atrium, which affords views up to 18 floors high, serves as the most significant architectural aspect of the property. Avant-garde lighting was mixed with different textures and colors in the furnishings and objects in the space. The lobby’s focal point is the TV installation, which covers an entire wall, along with a white Krion table below the atrium box with a white dome hanging overhead.
Each guestroom and suite features a simplistic Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic. References to Minneapolis and its cultural ties can be found in each room’s artwork. Amenities include complimentary high-speed Internet, HDTV, an in-room safe, a mini-fridge, desk space and This Works bath amenities.
The function spaces of the hotel have been redesigned as well. The meeting spaces, located on the second and third floors, provide more than 29,000 sq. ft. of space, including a 7,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 22 meeting rooms. A core meeting component of the brand, Experience Meetings, features Brain Food, a culinary service with menus made to stimulate the mind, and Brain Box, a breakout room with hands-on activities and comfortable lounge décor.
The FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar has also been renovated and redesigned, and the menu has been updated. The venue is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.