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Disneyland area Anaheim California to get new Westgate timeshare, hotel, and shops
....Westgate Resorts, the third-largest time-share company worldwide, has signed a purchase agreement for the rights to build atop a parking structure, said Bill Stone, a principal in the project of Excel Realty Holdings LLC of San Diego, one of three companies in the joint venture.
Stone said the company in the next six months will try to choose the right mix of hotels from several offers.
All three will be ranked at least three stars, with one having at least four stars, he said. Another will be a boutique hotel, like a W Hotel. One will cater to convention business......
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1032187.php
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
GardenWalk planners aiming for ambience
Anaheim planners approve a high-end outdoor mall and hotel complex near Disneyland.
By SARAH TULLY and MIRA JANG
The Orange County Register
ANAHEIM -onventioneers and tourists soon could lodge in a trendy boutique hotel, a snazzy four-star venue or a family-oriented time share in the heart of an outdoor mall near Disneyland.
On Monday, the Anaheim Planning Commission paved the way for the GardenWalk complex to add more hotel and retail space to the long-planned entertainment center.
Now an empty lot boarded by a colorful fence, the 20.3-acre GardenWalk is targeted to start construction in May.
Because plans began eight years ago, developers asked the commission to modify them, and it approved them 7-0.
"This sets a whole new set of standards for the city of Anaheim," Commissioner Ed Perez said about the quality of the project. "It clearly puts us over the top."
Changes include:
Expanding the hotel space from 1,132 to 1,266 rooms. That includes 400 time-share units, as well as three hotels.
Boosting the retail space to 439,600 square feet from 400,000. That means space for 80 to 100 restaurants and shops vs. space for about 70 before.
Increasing the number of parking spaces to 3,200 from 3,000.
Westgate Resorts, the third-largest time-share company worldwide, has signed a purchase agreement for the rights to build atop a parking structure, said Bill Stone, a principal in the project of Excel Realty Holdings LLC of San Diego, one of three companies in the joint venture.
Stone said the company in the next six months will try to choose the right mix of hotels from several offers.
All three will be ranked at least three stars, with one having at least four stars, he said. Another will be a boutique hotel, like a W Hotel. One will cater to convention business.
The Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the West Coast, with 1.1million visitors last year, sits about a half mile from the GardenWalk site.
Greg Smith, the city's convention, sports and entertainment director, said meeting planners constantly ask for more high-end rooms within walking distance of the center.
"It's just having first-class, quality rooms that executive-level people want to rent, and having more of them is always better," Smith said.
Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, said some planners may pass over Anaheim because it lacks hotels with amenities such as room service, spas and gyms. Convention-goers are more likely to stay at a pricier hotel if they are going on the company's dime.
"A W would be cool because it's sexy. We don't have a lot of sexy," Ahlers said. "Anaheim is a little short on that. If we can bring that kind of development to GardenWalk, it will only enhance our position."
Before the hotels, GardenWalk will start building the retail, parking and entertainment places. A 14-plex movie theater is planned. The complex has signed leases or letters of intent for almost half the spots. About 35 percent of the leases are in final negotiations.
Those include high-end dining spots, like McCormick Schmick's Seafood Restaurant and Roy's, as well as clothing stores such as Chicos nd White House/Black Market. Others, such as H&M, are in discussions.
Some tourists say they would welcome more options in the resort dominated by hotel gift shops and quick bites. Newlyweds Tracy and Ben Sammut, on their honeymoon from Australia, said they couldn't find much to do by Disneyland on a recent rainy day so they waited for a shuttle to take them shopping.
"There is no mall here," Ben Sammut said.
Stone said GardenWalk will cater to Disneyland tourists, conventioneers and neighbors. Because of the growth of the nearby Platinum Triangle, where about 7,300 housing units are planned, the mall is luring a wider mix of retailers. GardenWalk may add a gourmet grocer.
The commission also approved plans for a second phase of the project if GardenWalk ever acquires the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites. While the original plan called for development on the hotel site, a deal to buy the property fell through, and there are no plans to revive it now.
Timeline
1998: Pointe Anaheim project approved.
1999: Walt Disney Co. withdraws opposition to the project.
2002: GardenWalk name approved.
March 6: Planning Commission approveschanges in GardenWalk project.
March 28: City Council set to consider changes.
May: Construction to begin.
October 2007: etail phase to be completed.
Mid-2008: First time share and hotel to open.
2010: GardenWalk to be completed.
Stone said the company in the next six months will try to choose the right mix of hotels from several offers.
All three will be ranked at least three stars, with one having at least four stars, he said. Another will be a boutique hotel, like a W Hotel. One will cater to convention business......
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1032187.php
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
GardenWalk planners aiming for ambience
Anaheim planners approve a high-end outdoor mall and hotel complex near Disneyland.
By SARAH TULLY and MIRA JANG
The Orange County Register
ANAHEIM -onventioneers and tourists soon could lodge in a trendy boutique hotel, a snazzy four-star venue or a family-oriented time share in the heart of an outdoor mall near Disneyland.
On Monday, the Anaheim Planning Commission paved the way for the GardenWalk complex to add more hotel and retail space to the long-planned entertainment center.
Now an empty lot boarded by a colorful fence, the 20.3-acre GardenWalk is targeted to start construction in May.
Because plans began eight years ago, developers asked the commission to modify them, and it approved them 7-0.
"This sets a whole new set of standards for the city of Anaheim," Commissioner Ed Perez said about the quality of the project. "It clearly puts us over the top."
Changes include:
Expanding the hotel space from 1,132 to 1,266 rooms. That includes 400 time-share units, as well as three hotels.
Boosting the retail space to 439,600 square feet from 400,000. That means space for 80 to 100 restaurants and shops vs. space for about 70 before.
Increasing the number of parking spaces to 3,200 from 3,000.
Westgate Resorts, the third-largest time-share company worldwide, has signed a purchase agreement for the rights to build atop a parking structure, said Bill Stone, a principal in the project of Excel Realty Holdings LLC of San Diego, one of three companies in the joint venture.
Stone said the company in the next six months will try to choose the right mix of hotels from several offers.
All three will be ranked at least three stars, with one having at least four stars, he said. Another will be a boutique hotel, like a W Hotel. One will cater to convention business.
The Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the West Coast, with 1.1million visitors last year, sits about a half mile from the GardenWalk site.
Greg Smith, the city's convention, sports and entertainment director, said meeting planners constantly ask for more high-end rooms within walking distance of the center.
"It's just having first-class, quality rooms that executive-level people want to rent, and having more of them is always better," Smith said.
Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, said some planners may pass over Anaheim because it lacks hotels with amenities such as room service, spas and gyms. Convention-goers are more likely to stay at a pricier hotel if they are going on the company's dime.
"A W would be cool because it's sexy. We don't have a lot of sexy," Ahlers said. "Anaheim is a little short on that. If we can bring that kind of development to GardenWalk, it will only enhance our position."
Before the hotels, GardenWalk will start building the retail, parking and entertainment places. A 14-plex movie theater is planned. The complex has signed leases or letters of intent for almost half the spots. About 35 percent of the leases are in final negotiations.
Those include high-end dining spots, like McCormick Schmick's Seafood Restaurant and Roy's, as well as clothing stores such as Chicos nd White House/Black Market. Others, such as H&M, are in discussions.
Some tourists say they would welcome more options in the resort dominated by hotel gift shops and quick bites. Newlyweds Tracy and Ben Sammut, on their honeymoon from Australia, said they couldn't find much to do by Disneyland on a recent rainy day so they waited for a shuttle to take them shopping.
"There is no mall here," Ben Sammut said.
Stone said GardenWalk will cater to Disneyland tourists, conventioneers and neighbors. Because of the growth of the nearby Platinum Triangle, where about 7,300 housing units are planned, the mall is luring a wider mix of retailers. GardenWalk may add a gourmet grocer.
The commission also approved plans for a second phase of the project if GardenWalk ever acquires the Anaheim Plaza Hotel and Suites. While the original plan called for development on the hotel site, a deal to buy the property fell through, and there are no plans to revive it now.
Timeline
1998: Pointe Anaheim project approved.
1999: Walt Disney Co. withdraws opposition to the project.
2002: GardenWalk name approved.
March 6: Planning Commission approveschanges in GardenWalk project.
March 28: City Council set to consider changes.
May: Construction to begin.
October 2007: etail phase to be completed.
Mid-2008: First time share and hotel to open.
2010: GardenWalk to be completed.
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