NEW YORK— If a hotel opening can have both spiritual and political overtones at the same time, the ribbon-cutting Jan. 29 marking the debut of Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park has set the benchmark. The event, which drew the city’s and the industry’s key players— Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and J.W. “Bill” Marriott among them— marked the return of the luxury brand to the Big Apple after a four-year absence. The completion and opening of the 298-room hotel at 2 West St. also seemed to signal to the more than 200 people in attendance that the downtown financial district, so devastated in the the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was on the road back. “The people of New York have a lot of courage, a lot of energy. This sort of represents the comeback of the downtown area,” Bill Marriott told HOTEL BUSINESS®. “We’re excited to be part of that. This hotel…will have, I think, a significant impact on the overall development of the area.” Joseph Spinnato, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, agreed. “There’s no doubt the opening of the Ritz-Carlton is a milestone. The entire industry, the entire city looks upon this as the beginning, the renaissance of what is going to take many years to achieve; that is, bringing the downtown area back to its former glory.” The first 14 floors of the 39-story contemporary tower incorporate the guestrooms, 44 suites, meeting space, a restaurant, spa and the Rise bar, an indoor/outdoor space that provides sweeping views of the harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and to the rear in the distance, Ground Zero. The remaining floors incorporate The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, 113 luxury residences whose owners may utilize all of the hotel’s services, such as housekeeping. According to Ritz-Carlton president Simon Cooper, “The residences are ‘a go.’ People are occupying their units already. They’re not all occupied as yet, but the residential piece is open and owners are moving in.” Cooper said, “To return in this location at this time after all the recent events is, we hope, very special for New York… I hope this hotel acts as a catalyst for everybody to return and visit New York.” Christopher Jeffries, founding partner of Millennium Partners, the owner/developer of the $210 million project, suggested the property sets “a new standard for lower Manhattan, and, in particular, for Battery Park City.” Jeffries lauded the Battery Park City Authority for believing in Millennium’s vision. “Believe me, in 1997 [when we were first looking at the site]it wasn’t clear that this was the spot where somebody wanted to build a luxury hotel and a luxury apartment house. But they liked the idea, chose us, and supported us all the way.” With business coming on the books— albeit slowly— Jeffries added, “The amount of support we have felt from the community down here— this hard-core, brass-knuckles financial community is just absolutely amazing.” Standing before the ceremonial ribbon designed by artist Peter Max, who was in the audience, Marriott termed the property “a great tribute to the city, and a great tribute to the resurgence to this part of the city.” The Marriott International chairman/CEO lauded former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who was seated front and center with his successor, Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “I applaud [Giuliani] for his tremendous leadership in the past several years. He really made New York the number-one tourist and visitor city in the world… I want to thank you for your tremendous support of the industry,” said Marriott. He also told Bloomberg he was “thrilled” to have him leading the city in the years ahead. “This is truly a momentous occasion for lower Manhattan, and this entire area of New York City,” said Giuliani. “And I think it is for the country also.” He added, “The fact that the Marriott company, Ritz-Carlton, and Millennium not only had the confidence to go forward with this project, but to do it expeditiously and in the grand s
NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Marriott Chairman Bill Marriott at the opening