Baton Rouge, LA—If the relative dearth of new luxury product in the local market here wasn’t enough reason to convert an unoccupied building into a Renaissance Hotel, Wampold Companies had at least one other compelling reason.
That was its close proximity to LSU Tiger Stadium, the State Capitol, downtown Baton Rouge and upscale shopping, which make it an ideal locale for business and leisure travelers, as well as for weekend getaways and tailgating, according to Mike Wampold, chairman and CEO, Wampold Companies, the developer/owner of the hotel. Located one mile south of Interstate 10, at the corner of Bluebonnet Boulevard and Anselmo Lane, the Renaissance is located between the Mall of Louisiana, the area’s major regional shopping mall, and Perkins Rowe, a popular lifestyle center, and nearby major medical facilities.
“It really was a perfect location for a hotel,” he said. “It’s in the epicenter of the growth area of Baton Rouge.” As founder and owner of his company, Wampold is directly responsible for the direction and growth, strategic corporate planning, corporate financing and new project development for the firm. And this was one new project the executive knew would prove to be win-win: a good move for him; a great move for the surrounding community.
Wampold has been involved in the development, construction and management of real estate holdings for more than 25 years, with notable Baton Rouge development projects such as the Shaw Plaza office building, Crescent at University Lake Condominiums and City Plaza office buildings, among others, in his portfolio. New to the hospitality market with the Renaissance Hotel and the July 2011 purchase of a 120-key Quality Suites on the other side of the Interstate from the Renaissance, Wampold knew the timing was right. With mostly office and healthcare facilities in his background, he “wanted to get into the hotel game and the area was in desperate need of a full-service property,” he said. “It’s been a long time since a full-service hotel has been built outside of downtown.” In fact, “filling a real void,” as Wampold put it, the Renaissance is the first newly constructed suburban, full-service hotel to be built in Baton Rouge in more than 40 years.
Acquiring the building in 2005, Wampold took what was an abandoned, 12-story “precast concrete shell of a structure,” secured financing from Regents Bank and transformed the property into one of Baton Rouge’s leading luxury hotels. “It was originally planned as a dormitory as part of the Jimmy Swaggart Ministries campus, and sat dormant for 20-plus years,” said Wampold. “It was covered in graffiti and locals referred to it as ‘the iconic eyesore.’”
The hotel sits on roughly eight acres of land, so “we have the ability to do a phase two, maybe a third-party restaurant, if we want,” noted Wampold. The construction period lasted 13 months and the hotel has been open for seven months now. “The people of Baton Rouge seem to be very proud and pleased that the eyesore is gone,” he said, adding that “when it transformed into this beautiful asset, they kind of went wild over it.” The property, in fact, brings in many local weddings and meetings, in addition to group business and transient travel, according to the owner.
The property, managed by Atlanta-based Davidson Hotels & Resorts, offers a modern interior and is alive with details, such as the display of artwork throughout the hotel created by local artists, including the award-winning wildlife photographer CC Lockwood. Louisiana, a region known for its culture and sensory impact, is fully present in the sights and sounds of the newly constructed hotel. The hotel’s exterior design and vibrant interiors owe their distinctive look to Gensler, a global design, planning, and strategic consulting firm, which worked with local art consultant Ann Connelly and her team of artists to create a strong visual impact throughout the hotel that celebrates the state’s indigenous art, culture and heritage.
The Renaissance brand, which is part of Marriott International, currently has some 145 hotels in 32 countries, but this is the sole Renaissance in the greater Baton Rouge area. The property features 256 guestrooms, including 63 luxury suites. All are furnished with king or double queen beds, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and Aveda bathroom amenities. The concierge club level offers guestrooms with dramatic views, bathrobes and slippers and private concierge lounge access.
In addition, the property offers an on-site fully equipped fitness center, a courtyard-style outdoor pool including a deck and nearby fire-on-water infinity fountain, a business center, high-speed Internet access in all guestrooms, room service, valet service and on-site parking. Furthermore, there is 13,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art meeting space, featuring a 7,500-sq.-ft. grand ballroom, which accommodates up to 768 people. For smaller gatherings, there are eight meeting rooms that accommodate groups ranging from 14 to 110 people.
And it wouldn’t be a trip to the Big Easy without something to tempt the taste buds. Tallulah Crafted Food and Wine Bar highlight the region’s cuisine featuring house-crafted menu items that interpret local flavors in fresh and unique ways. The casual yet upscale restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and includes a wine bar, offering guests an extensive selection.
“Apartments and office buildings, that’s our bread and butter,” said Wampold. “We own and manage about 15 properties from around the state and have been doing this for 18 years.” The Renaissance is the first hotel where Wampold is the majority owner and lead partner (he was a partner in the Astor Hotel in New Orleans, which was sold in May 2005, about four months before Katrina), and, “it’s been a real experience,” he said. “There are a lot more moving parts with a full-service hotel than there is with an apartment complex or office building. And then the operations are a whole different thing. The hotel business is not the real estate business; it’s a service business, a people business, where the real estate is almost incidental. We’re on a pretty steep learning curve right now.”
Wampold has seen a lot of cycles in the economy in the real estate industry over the years and considers himself very fortunate. “We’ve faired well. I haven’t owned a hotel during a down cycle, although I guess you could consider right now a down-looking-up economy. And I’m looking forward to up because down isn’t so bad. We’re optimistic.”
Wampold concluded: “This project has been years in the making and I am extremely proud and pleased, that with the help of many visionaries and supporters, we were able to deliver such a game‐changing hotel property to the people of Baton Rouge. And Marriott is a very good flag. We’re glad to be part of that system.”
