Balfour Beatty Construction Celebrates Official Groundbreaking For Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel
September 25, 2009
On September 15, Balfour Beatty Construction celebrated with the City of Dallas in the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel. As part of a joint venture with H.J. Russell & Company and Pegasus Texas Construction, Balfour Beatty was awarded a $325 million contract to lead design–build on the project, which promises to enhance the cultural and economic landscape of downtown Dallas.
Drawing over 600 attendees, the ceremony featured Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, the Dallas City Council, and a broad spectrum of community leaders. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the city, which has been planning the facility for over 20 years and earlier this year won voter support for the hotel.
"This has never been about a building," said Leppert. "It has always been about positioning Dallas for success and about keeping Dallas competitive. This hotel is a symbol of our city’s confidence and willingness to invest in its future." Owned by the City of Dallas and operated by Omni Hotels, the 4–diamond, luxury hotel will be located on eight acres in the heart of downtown Dallas and connect via skybridge to the Dallas Convention Center. Designed by 5G Studio Collaborative and BOKA Powell, the 1.14 million square–foot facility will include the 23–story, 1000–room hotel, over 80,000 square feet of meeting space and ballrooms, multiple restaurants, a sports bar, spa, a fitness center, and a pool deck.
Working with developer Matthews Southwest, the joint venture team will provide design–build services for the project, which is scheduled to complete in 2012. In addition, Balfour Beatty is providing preconstruction and estimating services for the facility.
"This joint venture reflects the strong relationship we established with our partners at H.J. Russell and Pegasus during our work on Dallas Fort Worth International Airport," said Jeff Parsons, Operations Director for Balfour Beatty. Said Doug Jones, Division President and CEO for Balfour Beatty Construction, "As a company, we are thrilled to have been selected for this opportunity. And as a resident of Dallas, I’m personally looking forward to seeing the City realize its vision for the hotel and the growth of our community."
About Balfour Beatty Construction
Balfour Beatty Construction has been a leader in the U.S. commercial construction industry for 76 years, providing general contracting, at–risk construction management, design–build, preconstruction, public/private and turnkey services for clients nationwide. The company employs 1,600 professionals and is part of London–based Balfour Beatty plc, a leading international engineering, construction, and investment business exceeding $16 billion in annual revenues. For more information, visit www.balfourbeattyus.com.
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For additional information, contact:
Balfour Beatty Construction
Connie Oliver
Vice President, Corporate Communications Dallas, Texas
p: (214) 451–1066
e: coliver@balfourbeattyus.com