Marriott SpringHill Suites opens today
The long-awaited $8 million SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Butler/Centre City on East Jefferson Street in downtown Butler opens Thursday.
The four-story, 76-room hotel is being operated as a Marriott International franchise owned by Hari Hotels and managed by SHPA Associates LLC, an affiliate of GF Management.
“We’re really excited about opening in downtown Butler and we’re looking forward to the future ahead,” said Audrianna Bly, hotel manager.
A grand opening will be held, but hasn’t been scheduled, she said.
The hotel has 12 employees, but about eight more are needed, Bly said.
Today’s opening has been a long time coming.
Construction began in 2015 and final details like installation of furniture were completed this year.
At the start of the project, Butler City Council guaranteed a $2 million loan that the Butler Redevelopment Authority put toward the cost of construction. In exchange, the authority received a 25-percent share in the hotel.
Sometime after the hotel opens, the city will receive a $2 million grant from the state to pay off the loan.
Delays in completing and opening the hotel, and repaying the loan led Standard and Poors to lower the city’s bond rating to noninvestment grade bonds.
In October, the original owner and developer J.S. Capital sold the hotel to Hari Hotels. The authority sold its share as part of the transaction.
The hotel now takes its place as keystone of the Centre City project that includes the $3.9 million, 239-space parking garage.
A swimming pool, fitness room, meeting space, lobby market and free breakfast for guests are amenities the hotel offers, Bly said. Rates begin at $149 per night.
“As a brand, opening a new hotel every 10 days on average, we are delighted that the Spring-Hill Suites Pittsburgh Butler/Centre City is the latest addition to our growing number of properties across the United States and Canada,” Callette Nielsen, vice president and global brand manager of SpringHill Suites, said in a statement. “Our all-suite offering, and convenient amenities offer guests a little extra to help them enjoy their stay.
“Whether traveling for business or pleasure, we understand that guests want to connect to the local area. We make it our business to help them do that by offering our local expertise, and bringing the community into the hotel through our 24/7 market and at our Art of Local events.”
Art of Local events are fundraisers SpringHill Suites will hold to help local art initiatives, she said.
The hotel also has 294 square feet of space for meetings and functions of up to 15 people. The lobby can also be used for casual meetings.
The hotel also offers business services, complimentary Wi-Fi, same-day dry cleaning and guest laundry facilities.
