MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced the 100th anniversary celebration of The Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla. In 2007, Marcus Hotels & Resorts completed a $55 million renovation and restoration of this historic landmark, returning the property to its former glory as the social center of Oklahoma City.
“We are delighted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the oldest existing hotel in the state of Oklahoma. The Skirvin Hilton is a grand hotel in the tradition of historic hotels, and was our fourth historic restoration,” said Bill Otto, president of Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “While carefully retaining its historic details, we completely renovated the property and introduced successful restaurant concepts, including the Park Avenue Grill and Red Piano Bar. We are proud to be a part of this celebratory event – and proud to continue to deliver exceptional service to our Oklahoma City guests.”
The project leveraged Marcus Hotels’ 50 years of experience in restoring landmark hotels and the expertise of Skirvin Partners in Development to accomplish such a monumental rebirth of this historic icon of Oklahoma City. “This was a complex undertaking from both a restoration and financial viewpoint, involving new-market tax credits and federal and state historic tax credits. However, it was well worth the effort. The Skirvin Hilton has been a tremendous addition to Oklahoma City and helped to revive growth and excitement of the downtown surrounding area,” said Otto. “We look forward to celebrating the Skirvin Hilton’s Centennial anniversary at events throughout the week.”
“We are extremely pleased with the way the hotel has performed,” said Brent Bryant, economic development program manager for the city of Oklahoma. “The project has far exceeded what we felt was an aggressive occupancy rate and continues to carry on its significant role in our city as the social epicenter for residents and guests alike.”
“The Skirvin Hilton has been considered the city’s crown jewel through the turbulent years and rebirth of downtown Oklahoma City in 2006. Today the hotel serves as a chronicler of the city’s history and remains an important piece of the city’s past and future,” said Martin Van Der Laan, general manager of the Skirvin Hilton.
Otto added that reinvesting in its properties continues to be a hallmark of the company. “Maintaining our assets has always been a top priority for Marcus Hotels & Resorts. We continue to enhance and renovate our existing properties so they meet the high standards of today’s travelers and hotel owners alike. We also look for opportunities to add new features and amenities, such as creative restaurant and bar concepts and relaxing spas,” said Otto. The company recently completed $30 million of renovations at the Hilton Milwaukee and Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wis., and renovations are in the final stages at the historic Hotel Phillips in Kansas City, Mo.
The Skirvin Hilton’s Centennial celebration will include a full week of festivities from Sunday, October 16 to Friday, October 21, 2011. All events are open to the public, and include different activities each day. Closing the week, the sold-out Centennial Black-Tie Gala, which has already raised over $145,000 for charity, will be the grand finale of the celebration. For more information on the Skirvin Hilton Centennial events, visit www.SkirvinCentennial.com or call 405-272-3040.
The Skirvin Hilton originally opened in 1911 and has been synonymous with elegance and innovation for the past five generations, hosting oil barons, dignitaries, movie stars, political leaders and presidents ever since. Guests from around the globe have traveled through the downtown Skirvin Hilton to experience its unique sophistication and timelessness. Since the renovation in 2007, the hotel has earned a AAA Four Diamond rating every year and received the Mayor’s Development Award for best downtown development.
About Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), owns or manages 18 hotels, resorts and other properties in nine states. A force in the hospitality industry, Marcus Hotels & Resorts provides expertise in management, development and historical renovations. The company’s portfolio includes a wide variety of properties including city-center meeting hotels, upscale resorts and branded first-class hotels. For more information visit: www.marcushotels.com.
About The Marcus Corporation
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. In addition to its Marcus Hotels & Resorts division, the company’s movie theatre division, Marcus Theatres®, is the sixth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 684 screens at 55 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.marcuscorp.com.
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