Marriott International made its relocation from North Bethesda to downtown Bethesda official yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Former CEO J.W. "Bill" Marriott himself wielded the gold-handled pair of scissors, flanked by Marriott Board Chairman David Marriott (left) and current CEO Tony Capuano (right). The 21-story, 785,000-square-foot, LEEDv4 Gold-certified building, and accompanying Marriott Bethesda Downtown hotel, are the culmination of six years of planning and execution by the hospitality giant, which now supports over 8000 hotels worldwide.
Employees standing behind company leaders at the ribbon-cutting held logo signs representing the firm's many lodging brands, from Courtyard by Marriott business hotels to its highest-end luxury nameplates. A host of elected officials were also on hand, including Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Evan Glass, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson.
While the new HQ holds many amenities for employees, it also has some innovative spaces designed to keep the company on the cutting edge of hospitality trends. Room27 is a design lab space where the firm can test every aspect of hotel design from bedsheets and carpets to technology and service, including a 4400 square foot test kitchen and bar where the latest culinary and beverage trends can be tested and refined in-house. Thirteen rooms in the hotel next door are dubbed "Floor57," where active testing of these innovations can then be carried out in a real world setting.
“Unveiling our new global headquarters is an exceptional way to celebrate our 95 years of culture and innovation,” David Marriott said in a statement Monday. “This campus honors our storied history and roots in the local community, while showcasing Marriott’s exciting next chapter of growth as we remain dedicated to our purpose of connecting people through the power of travel.”
“We are thrilled to be welcoming associates to our new headquarters,” Capuano said. “The campus has been designed to better connect our global workforce in support of our hotels and teams around the world. Empowering associates and accelerating innovation were our key priorities and central in every decision we made to deliver a compelling environment for associates to work, learn and thrive.”
The grand opening of the international headquarters was a truly worldwide affair. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan marked the opening by presenting a citation to the company at its J.W. Marriott hotel in Seoul, Korea, where the governor is on an economic development and trade mission. Back here in Bethesda, Lt. Gov. Rutherford presented the citation in-person to Capuano at the ceremony.
“Marriott has called Maryland home since 1955 and their new state-of-the-art headquarters in Bethesda ensures that Marriott will continue to call Maryland home for generations to come,” Hogan said. “We take great pride in Marriott as a Maryland institution that is a powerful economic engine and committed community partner. The new headquarters is the perfect place for Marriott to continue its work as the world’s largest hospitality company.”
Photos courtesy Marriott International (top)/Office of the Governor (bottom)
An accomplishment that Marc Elrich can never claim. While I likely wouldn't agree with Ike Leggett on much, at least he had a brain and understood what keeping Marriott (the largest hotelier in the world) in our immediate area meant and would continue to mean. The hotel and new HQ are real gems for Woodmont Triangle. I know from people inside Hogan's admin that this never would have happened without Ike and even Peter Franchot Democrats both. It was a win for all. Nope, never, ever under Comrade Elrich. Sad state of affairs. Wait until Wes Moore gets in. My gosh!
ReplyDeleteElrich lives rent free in someone's head, that's for sure.
ReplyDelete11:23 - that makes zero sense.
DeleteEyesore. I sure do miss Carbert's Jewelers..
ReplyDelete