9-Story Hilton for I-40 & Meridian

[Pete]

The owners of the existing Clarion Inn at the southwest corner of I-40 and Meridian are planning to tear down the hotel structure, leave the existing convention center and attach it to a new 9-story Hilton Hotel.

Interestingly, the property due east of the convention center is a 6-story Hilton Garden Inn:

[BoulderSooner]

good for OKC overall .. but what a terrible place to stay in a hotel ..

[Pete]

There are now 3 large hotels completed at Meridian and the Oklahoma River with two more well under construction.

Will post a graphic and photos soon.

For all the news the downtown hotels receive, you almost never hear anything about these projects and there will be more new rooms in this area than downtown.

[warreng88]

Glad more hotels down there are starting to go more vertical. Now if we can just get a few more of the taller ones lining the Oklahoma River, it would look a lot cooler. I would love to see one right next to where the river boat cruises go out and have convention space overlooking the water larger than 30,000 that the exisitng convention center currently has. I would think they could make a descent amount of money with a smaller wedding reception area with a deck or something that overlooks the river.

[adaniel]

I've stayed at the current Clarion and its an embarrassment. Won't miss it one bit.

I love downtown. But outside of that, this area still remains the city's premier "hospitality" corridor, so it needs to look spiffy as well.

[Bellaboo]

Wonder how many rooms will be here ?

[warreng88]

There are now 3 large hotels completed at Meridian and the Oklahoma River with two more well under construction.

Will post a graphic and photos soon.

For all the news the downtown hotels receive, you almost never hear anything about these projects and there will be more new rooms in this area than downtown.

Where are the two under construction? On the west or east side of Meridian?

I wish Jim Thompson (Aloft in DD, Holiday Inn Express and Hilton Garden Inn on Expressway and May, Courtyard by Marriott and the La Quinta on Memorial) would build a hotel over here with a restaurant and bar with a patio on the river. It would definitely raise the bar for hotels in the area.

[Rover]

Wonder how many rooms will be here ?

Looks like about 325-350

[catch22]

Where are the two under construction? On the west or east side of Meridian?

I wish Jim Thompson (Aloft in DD, Holiday Inn Express and Hilton Garden Inn on Expressway and May, Courtyard by Marriott and the La Quinta on Memorial) would build a hotel over here with a restaurant and bar with a patio on the river. It would definitely raise the bar for hotels in the area.

Both. One on the east one on the west. Both at the far extremes from each other.

[traxx]

this area still remains the city's premier "hospitality" corridor, so it needs to look spiffy as well.

And it never has looked spiffy. It looks better than it did 20 years ago but that's not saying much. It still looks disorganized with several junky looking properties around. And I don't have any idea how a hotel like Biltmore stays in business. that thing was an embarrassment 2 decades ago. It's gotta be worse now.

[Larry OKC]

Not sure when it happened, but noticed the last time I went to Sam's, that the signage was gone form the hotel and apparently closed/abandoned. Thought it was odd for what seems like a prime location to have gone belly up. This explains it.

[Pete]

Here is everything that is going on at SW 15th & Meridian (south bank of OK River).

The City is in the process of doing $1.5 million worth of improvements to the river bank to the east of Meridian all the way to Meridian Landing, where the River Cruise docks. You can see some of that work in the last image (curved outcroppings and landscaping).

Also, all three hotels and the convention center east of Meridian are owned by an OKC physician, Dr. Naresh Patel.

I'll post more renderings of the Hampton Inn, as it's pretty elaborate with a large enclosed pool facing the river. In fact, all three of those hotels are quite nice compared to the relatively low standards of the other hotels in the area.

TownePlace by Marriott (5 stories, extended stay):


Marriott Fairfield Inn:


Staybridge Suites:


Holiday Inn:


Hampton Inn:


Convention Center:

[Pete]

More on the under construction Hampton Inn, a $7.5 million, 129 room project.

[soonerguru]

I like that the hotels are along the river. The river looks nice and wild and woodsy over there.

[warreng88]

I really wish there weren't as many industrial warehouse type buildings across the river, otherwise, that would be a great area for a string of restaurants and/or clubs/bars facing the river. All the hotels would look at them and think that is where to go to go out in the evening and on lunch.

[soonerliberal]

I also wonder why the Hilton didn't locate along the river. The land availability seems to be lower though, so I assume that was a factor. It is nice to see that Clarion go, but that area right off the highway still feels like it is in the 1980s. Perhaps this will help spur some more updates.

[bchris02]

good for OKC overall .. but what a terrible place to stay in a hotel ..

I agree. Considering a lot of people from out of state will be staying there, that part of OKC, in my opinion, is the part that most fits the stereotypes people have in their minds about this city. It feels very much like a truck stop out there, combined with all of the country-oriented bars and restaurants, it doesn't seem like a good spot for a project this large. Then again, this could be the beginning of gentrification of that area.

[Teo9969]

I agree. Considering a lot of people from out of state will be staying there, that part of OKC, in my opinion, is the part that most fits the stereotypes people have in their minds about this city. It feels very much like a truck stop out there, combined with all of the country-oriented bars and restaurants, it doesn't seem like a good spot for a project this large. Then again, this could be the beginning of gentrification of that area.

I think the people that tend to stay out here probably don't tend to have much of a negative perception of OKC...And if they do, most are likely at least smart enough to know that you can't judge a city by one area 5+ miles away from the city's core.

[Pete]

I wonder how close the City is to making back the MAPS investment in the OK River through increased sales tax, new jobs, etc?

We have these 5 going on 6 big new hotels, the Dell Facility and everything on Boathouse Row. Plus, of course, all the tax revenue generated by the river events.

As unlikely as it seemed at the time, the investment in the river has proven to be one of the best of all the MAPS projects.

[Teo9969]

I wonder how close the City is to making back the MAPS investment in the OK River through increased sales tax, new jobs, etc?

We have these 5 going on 6 big new hotels, the Dell Facility and everything on Boathouse Row. Plus, of course, all the tax revenue generated by the river events.

As unlikely as it seemed at the time, the investment in the river has proven to be one of the best of all the MAPS projects.

How that can have ever seemed unlikely when nearly every major world city has a major river going through it (or is on the ocean) is weird to me. People love water, even if it's nasty.

I loved what München did with the Isar river...they divert part of it to a lower area that then becomes a little rocked beach area in the middle of the city:

[bradh]

I agree. Considering a lot of people from out of state will be staying there, that part of OKC, in my opinion, is the part that most fits the stereotypes people have in their minds about this city. It feels very much like a truck stop out there, combined with all of the country-oriented bars and restaurants, it doesn't seem like a good spot for a project this large. Then again, this could be the beginning of gentrification of that area.

For the most part, the people that stay in these hotels are in OKC on business and they arrived via Will Rogers. They don't care (for the most part) if the area near there looks like the Plaza or some other hipster strip, most just want a cozy bed and free breakfast.

A lot of those folks also have cars, or know plenty of people in the city too. One of my best friends works for a drilling fluid company in Houston and travels up here almost monthly. Flies into OKC, visits some rural areas, and winds up his stay at one of these hotels. He has a car, so I've been able to show him a lot of the city's shining star venues and areas.

We just need those speedboat shuttles from Meridian Landing to Bricktown Landing

[Bellaboo]

The Chesapeake Arena is probably their biggest money generator. Keep in mind, absolutely no debt service on the facility, only upkeep. And at least 43 dates are sold out every year.

[poe]

I stayed at Cambria Suites behind Charleston's on Meridian in late August and it was actually the best hotel experience I've had in a long time. The area was convenient, the hotel was clean, and the staff was exceptional. Glad to see improvements along Meridian.

[LuccaBrasi]

I wonder how close the City is to making back the MAPS investment in the OK River through increased sales tax, new jobs, etc?

We have these 5 going on 6 big new hotels, the Dell Facility and everything on Boathouse Row. Plus, of course, all the tax revenue generated by the river events.

As unlikely as it seemed at the time, the investment in the river has proven to be one of the best of all the MAPS projects.

Excellent point, and where we are today is only the tip of the iceberg.

[Pete]

I bet all those hotels will help up the ridership on the Riverboats, especially since you can just walk over to Meridian Landing, take a boat to the Bricktown connection, then hop a water taxi to the heart of Bricktown.

I'm sure their numbers are still low but this development and the new connection will have to really help.