Monday, May 18, 2009

The Future is Almost Here

I came back to Lexington a little more than four years ago after being gone for some 20 years. What I found surprised me. The little old convention center was brand new and certainly not little any longer. It looked more like very nice hotel convention space with all the latest technology. The layout is well thought out and is very workable yet very flexable. It has the second largest ballroom in the state of Kentucky (18,000 sqft). And the interior design is quite sophisticated.


I also found something else that surprised me. The Hyatt Regency Lexington and the Radisson Hotel had not changed in the last 20 some years. Unless you call decomposing a change. As I looked around at the convention package I had been charged to sell, I started to pray for two hotels that match the quality of the center. Somebody answered my prayers.


The Hyatt Regency is just wraping up a $32Million renovation and it looks FABULOUS. This is a view of the lobby and certainly conveys a warm sense of arrival.




















The Radisson has made an even bolder move. In addition to a $16M renovation, the are changing flags. Later this summer they will officially become a Hilton Hotel! They are currently part of the Hilton organization (reservation system and HiltonHonors).



The interior work is underway and the public space will rival the Hyatt Regency and the Lexington Convention Center. The picture below is a 20 panal photo by Doug Prather and will change 4 times a year (seasonally). It is located on the convention floor landing, just above the lobby.



As more work gets completed at the "Soon To Be Hilton" I'll pass pics along. In the meantime, you better reserve your space at the Hyatt, Hilton and Center before dates are all GONE!

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