After much anticipation, the Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown held its ballyhooed grand opening Thursday night.
A packed soiree celebrating the event was capped by a dazzling swimming performance in the hotel’s new pool. The gathering followed an earlier ribbon-cutting held by local leaders and developers.
“Situated in the heart of downtown Fort Worth and occupying the former Hotel Texas annex building, Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown marries modern aesthetics with local charm,” a press release promoting the ribbon-cutting. “Located at 811 Commerce Street, Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown is within easy walking distance of the Fort Worth Convention Center and close to local landmarks such as Trinity Park and Sundance Square.”
With the grand opening Thursday night, the hotel is now a new part of the fabric of the city.
“The 14-story, 188-room hotel presents chic, timeless interior design with breathtaking views of the city skyline. This boutique hotel is a nod to the city’s storied past and vibrant present,” the hotel’s website says.
“Each room will boast complementary mid-century, modernist design, floor-to-ceiling windows and scenic views of historic downtown Fort Worth or the courtyard pool deck. All meeting space brings upscale, contemporary design combined with state-of-the-art technology to provide a conducive environment for productive discussion and life’s meaningful moments.
“With flexible layouts and customizable setups, the hotel makes event planning accessible and inspiring,” the Meridien website concluded.
During the earlier ribbon-cutting event, local leaders thanked Ashford Hospitality CEO and Remington Hospitality founder Monty Bennett for how the project turned out.
“Thank you Monty. Thank you for what you do in Fort Worth, not only how we appear and how we feel and what you do on the street but for the investment and the faith [in the city],” said Andy Taft, the president of the non-profit booster organization Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
He went on to compliment the vision and commitment shown by stakeholders who worked to revitalize the building and further bolster the heart of Fort Worth’s city center.
“This sat as a hole in the heart of downtown next to an empty parking lot, next to an arena that hadn’t been used in years, and just a couple of blocks away three city parking lots that are about to become what will be a tier-one research university, Texas A&M in the heart of downtown,” Taft said.
Kunal Mody, CEO of Blueprint Hospitality, another partner involved in the project, expressed similar sentiments. He noted the conversion of a blighted property into a boutique hotel will benefit the community.
“We take a building that’s abandoned. We prevent crime, you know, property taxes that we pay, tax that we pay, jobs that we create. These are all things that we give back to the community, not just a beautiful hotel,” he said.
Disclaimer: Monty Bennett is the publisher of The Dallas Express.