Gemstone Resorts to Manage Kansas City Hotel
PARK CITY, UT, March 13, 2006. Gemstone Resorts International, LLC, a leading resort and hotel management company that specializes in managing and asset managing four- and five-diamond-quality, unique urban hotels and lifestyle resorts, today announced that it has signed a contract to manage a new 130-room boutique hotel in Kansas City, Mo., scheduled to open by early summer of 2008.
"The hotel is part of a landmark project in Kansas City that will continue the expansion of the city's entertainment district," said Jeff McIntyre, a Gemstone principal. "The luxury, four-star hotel will anchor the 2.4-acre, mixed-use complex called West Edge that also will include 203,000 square feet of office space, retail shops, a signature restaurant, a rooftop night club, a museum dedicated to the history of advertising icons, and a 300-seat auditorium."
Internationally renowned, Boston-based architectural firm Moshe Safdie and Associates has been engaged to finalize plans for what project developers believe will be one of the most stunning developments in the Midwest. Interior design firm MCCARTAN from San Francisco will provide the hotel's interior personality.
"Our goal is to create a unique and memorable guest experience through design, amenities and service," said Mark van Hartesvelt, Gemstone principal. "We intend to be like no other hotel in the Midwest. Although we will definitely provide a luxury experience, we also will be known for our ability to have fun and leave a lasting impression, whether it is the way we greet you or the extraordinary food we will serve you. We are in the final stages of planning for this must-see hotel destination in Kansas City."
In addition to world-class accommodations, the 130-room property, located in the Country Club Plaza entertainment district, will provide a fitness center and day spa, rooftop swimming pool, an indoor-outdoor bar and night club on the top floor, and 5,000 square feet of high-tech meeting and function space, capable of accommodating groups of up to 100 people. A shared atrium area, the focal point of the complex that is located between the office building and hotel, also will be available for a variety of social events, easily accommodating several hundred guests.
Additionally the property will be home to nine uniquely different themed suites. For example, one suite will be integrated into the design of the night club, while a second suite will have a rooftop garden and spa area that overlooks the Kansas City entertainment district.
Room amenities will include luxury, five-star bedding and linens, and an oversized bath area, including a spacious walk-in shower for two (in most rooms). The oversized rooms will allow for a state-of-the-art entertainment area, as well as a work space that will be both spacious and user-friendly for business clientele.
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