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Denver hotel development heats up

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Winning the bid to host the 2008 Democratic Convention was just the beginning; during the next three years, expect to see big things opening up in Denver.

Nine new hotels, with a total of 1,400 rooms are planned for downtown Denver, increasing the city’s room inventory by 25 percent. Among the new projects are a 202-room Ritz-Carlton (scheduled to open this month), a 235-room Four Seasons (scheduled to open in 2008) and the boutique property The Curtis (which opened in January).

“Our thriving hotel market reflects the escalating tourism growth this city is experiencing,” says Richard Scharf, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Denver has invested significantly in its infrastructure over the last decade, and it’s gratifying to see that not only are local hotel companies such as Sage Hospitality and Stonebridge Companies Hotels investing in downtown, but other leading hotel companies such as Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, and Four Seasons are bringing their brands here as well.”

Tourism hotel bookings were up 18 percent in 2006, but the city’s convention scene is exploding as well, with 2006 conventions setting new records for attendance and attendees contributing an estimated $521 million to the local economy.