AUSTIN, TEXAS Construction of a long-planned 1,003-key Marriott Marquis-branded convention hotel in downtown Austin, shelved after the recession hit, is expected to begin early next year.
White Lodging Services Corp. intends to start construction in about nine months, and the city is considering waiving up to US$4.3 million in development-related fees to help get the project moving, Austin American-Statesman reports.
Architectural details are still being worked out, including the building’s final height, but it is expected to be Austin’s largest hotel. It could take nearly three years to build. Indiana-based White Lodging hopes to reduce the cost of construction considerably by moving ahead with the project before the economy fully recovers. A final price tag has yet to be determined.