SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – State and local elected officials and tourism industry leaders gathered to celebrate the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa’s 20th anniversary and the emergence of San Antonio as a world-class resort destination. When the resort opened in 1993, it was the first new hotel built in Texas in five years and established the “destination resort” market in San Antonio.
“Hyatt Hill Country was immediately successful,” said Gino Caliendo, General Manager. “We’ve averaged more than 200,000 guests every year since, bringing millions of visitors to San Antonio from all 50 states across the U.S. and 55 different countries across the world. In addition, the resort has provided employment for more than 4,000 area residents over the 20 years – currently employing 719 local residents.”
The celebration coincided with the resort’s completion of a $35-million expansion and renovation, essentially doubling the indoor function space to 70,000 square feet, including the addition of a 20,000-square-foot ballroom (see time lapse construction.) Exterior function space added with the expansion includes a 7,260-square-foot landscaped courtyard, complete with a Texas-sized, stacked limestone working fireplace and a 5,000-square-foot event lawn connected to the new ballroom. Woodbine managed the project, with WATG and Wimberly Interiors providing interior design services; HKS Hill Glazier Studio as architect of record; Rialto Studio, Inc., managing landscape improvements; and Hardin Construction Company, L.L.C., as general contractor.
In late 2013, the resort ownership refinanced Hyatt Hill Country with loans from Morgan Stanley and Prudential Real Estate Investors. These loans repaid the then existing loan held by USAA and, in combination with additional ownership funding, facilitated the resort’s expansion and renovation.
A FlowRider® wave machine and a tower slide were added to the resort’s onsite water park, expanding it to 5 acres. The heated wave machine can be enjoyed year-round and provides resort guests the options of body boarding, knee boarding or stand-up boarding – the only location in Texas with a stand-up boarding option.
A message from Governor Rick Perry delivered by Texas Tourism Director Brad Smyth kicked off the event, acknowledging San Antonio as a top leisure destination and speaking to the major role San Antonio plays in keeping Texas in the forefront of national tourism.
“Having corporations like Woodbine and Hyatt recognize San Antonio as a location for the first luxury destination resort in Texas was big,” said Nelson W. Wolff, Bexar County Judge, who was the mayor of San Antonio when the resort opened in 1993. “What followed were more resorts and more visitors and, ultimately, it has had a very positive impact on our local economy.”
In a re-creation of the original opening ceremonies, participating VIPs arrived via a Wells Fargo stagecoach for a “Hill Country Housewarming” celebration. Dr. Charles Wiseman, Partner, Rogers-Wiseman Family Interests, cut the barbed-wire ribbon to unveil the 20th anniversary expansion and renovation. The Rogers-Wiseman family owned the resort site and thousands of acres of surrounding ranchland for more than 100 years and is celebrating a 25-year relationship with Woodbine that continues today.
Guests enjoyed a Texas Hill Country Tastings strolling lunch as they looked over the new expansion in an open house following the ceremonies.
About Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa is situated on 300 scenic acres within San Antonio and on the edge of the Texas Hill Country. The resort features 500 guest rooms, 58 suites and 70,000 square feet of meeting space. With four restaurants, a lounge and coffee bar, guests can enjoy superb epicurean dining or cocktails with colleagues overlooking a lushly landscaped 27-hole Arthur Hills-designed golf course. Amenities include a 5-acre water park with three swimming pools, a 950-foot Ramblin’ River, as well as, Windflower – the Hill Country Spa, with 21 treatment rooms and spa services using all natural products and botanicals. For reservations or information contact Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa at 210.647.1234 or visit us at http://www.hillcountry.hyatt.com
About Woodbine and Hunt Realty
Woodbine Development Corporation is a 40-year-old full-service real estate company focused on development, investment/acquisition and asset management opportunities across the United States. The company specializes in hotels, resorts and golf courses; multiuse land and mixed-use developments; and real estate services provided to corporations, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Woodbine has been involved with more than $2 billion in commercial real estate projects, including development, ownership and/or asset management of more than 6,000 hotel rooms, 18,000 acres of land and 126 holes of championship golf. To learn more, visit http://www.woodbinedevelopment.com.
Woodbine’s financial/investment partner is Hunt Realty Investments, Inc. (“HRI”). Hunt Realty serves as the centralized real estate investment management resource for Hunt Consolidated, Inc., which is part of the Hunt family of companies directed by Ray L. Hunt. For more information, visit http://www.huntrealtyinvestments.com.
About Hyatt Regency
Hyatt Regency offers a full range of services and facilities tailored to serve the needs of meeting planners, business travelers and leisure guests. Properties range in size from 180 to over 2,000 rooms and are conveniently located in urban, suburban, airport, convention and resort destinations around the world. Hyatt Regency convention hotels feature spacious meeting and conference facilities designed to provide a productive environment allowing guests to convene and connect. Hyatt Regency hotels in resort locations cater to couples seeking a getaway, families enjoying a vacation together and corporate groups seeking a functional and relaxed atmosphere in which to conduct business and meetings.
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