Destination Hotels & Resorts to Manage Historic Carolina Inn and IACC-Certified Rizzo Conference Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. (United States)
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Destination Hotels & Resorts to Manage Historic Carolina Inn and IACC-Certified Rizzo Conference Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. (United States)
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Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands - United States - Industry economy -
New brands / Affiliations
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-07-03
Charlie Peck, president and chief operating officer for Destination Hotels & Resorts, today announced that the company has taken over the management of the historic Carolina Inn and the IACC-certified Rizzo Conference Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. The charming 184-room Carolina Inn is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Chapel Hill on the campus of the University of North Carolina. The 120-room Rizzo Conference Center is located near the University of North Carolina campus, Research Triangle Park and is 15 minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
"We are honored to be selected as the new management company for both The Carolina Inn and Rizzo Conference Center," said Peck. "Destination Hotels & Resorts has extensive experience managing both historic hotels and IACC-certified conference centers. We have a proven track record in preserving and honoring the traditions of historic properties like The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas, as well as successfully operating well-known conference centers such as Tarrytown House Estate & Conference Center in New York."
"We are pleased to be bringing on such a well-respected expert in the hospitality management field to oversee operations at The Carolina Inn and Rizzo Conference Center," said Carolyn W. Elfland, associate vice chancellor for campus services. "Destination Hotels & Resorts is a great strategic fit for The University of North Carolina having managed both historic properties and conference centers."
The Carolina Inn
Listed on the National Register of Historic Place, from the day it opened in 1924, the Inn has played an important role in the life of the University of North Carolina and the Chapel Hill community. The hotel has long been a popular site in the state for special events, weddings, group and corporate meetings, as well as academic conferences as the property offers more than 13,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space.
In addition to its rich cultural history, the AAA Four Diamond rated hotel also features the award-winning Carolina Crossroads Restaurant, which is one of two dining establishments in the state to receive a Mobil Four-Star rating. For seven straight years, the restaurant has received this rare distinction from the Mobil Travel Guide, which is one of the most authoritative guides to fine dining. The restaurant features new American cuisine with distinctly Southern undertones in a graceful, inviting atmosphere.
The Inn has been expanded and restored over the years with the most extensive restoration taking place in 1996. The $16.5 million renovation added modern features and conveniences while restoring much of the Inn's traditional look and feel. An extensive collection of antiques including some original objects from the Inn, circa 1924, complement the casual, elegant décor.
The Inn was built by John Sprunt Hill, a UNC graduate, who gave the Inn to the University in 1935 to serve as "a cheerful inn for visitors, a town hall for the state, and a home for returning sons and daughters of alma mater." The Inn is still owned by UNC and per the original deed a portion of the Inn's revenue supports the Library's North Carolina Collection.
Rizzo Conference Center
The 120-room Rizzo Conference Center offers unparalleled conference venues and meeting facilities that cater to educational groups, as well as corporate meetings and events. The International Association of Conference Centers-certified property offers a self-contained learning facility that fosters a dynamic meeting experience.
Loudermilk Hall houses the majority of 20,000 square feet of dedicated conference space, 41 meeting rooms including three tiered classrooms, 21 breakout rooms, 10 study rooms, state-of-the-art presentation technology, high-speed internet access, wireless communications and on-demand video-teleconferencing. All meeting facilities offer the convenience of a conference planner and hotel concierge to manage all business event and catering needs.
The conference center's McLean Hall, includes 116 spacious guestrooms appointed with high-tech features and amenities to help streamline guest productivity. With generous desk space and high-speed internet and wireless technologies, the guestrooms provide the perfect location for conducting business or unwinding after a day of meetings. Other features include a modern, state-of-the-art fitness center and sauna, free-form pool and conferee dining facilities in the DuBose House and a UNC themed sports bar.
The historic DuBose House, a Georgian Revival home on the National Register of Historic Places, also offers four additional sleeping rooms in an elegant style that is reminiscent of a traditional Chapel Hill bed and breakfast inn.
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