The JW Marriott Austin has already become a familiar sight in the city’s expanding skyline. When it opens, the 34-story hotel will be the largest hotel in Austin, the largest JW Marriott in the U.S. and the second largest JW Marriott in the world. But, even a project this big won’t shy away from moving its opening date ahead of schedule.
The hotel’s management company announced Monday that the JW Marriott Austin will open ahead of schedule on February 20, 2015. (The opening was originally slated for March 1, 2015.) But don’t be surprised if there’s not a lot of vacancy those first few nights.
“As of right now, we’re about 75 percent complete with construction,” said Jay Spurr, the director of sales and marketing for the JW Marriott Austin. “We already have more than 310,000 room nights contracted out. Most of those guests are coming the first few nights, but some nights are already booked until about 2020. And I would estimate that maybe 30 percent of those coming have never been to Austin before.”
Construction began in August 2012, and the official groundbreaking took place in October 2012. In January 2014, the hotel “topped out,” meaning it reached its final construction height. When complete, the hotel will feature more than 112,000 square feet of event space, 42 meeting rooms and 1,012 guest rooms. Designed to host business meetings and even large conventions in its spacious ballrooms, the JW Marriott is also just a short walk from the Austin Convention Center.
When it opens, the JW Marriott will employ more than 700 people. The hotel will feature three restaurants, including a Northern Italian-style restaurant, a restaurant highlighting Austin cuisine and a burger spot. There will also be a Starbucks on the property.
The new JW Marriott Austin will open on February 20, 2015.
