For Immediate Release…Toronto, ON, October 9, 2009 - At its meeting yesterday, The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place unanimously approved an agreement with HK Hotels for a 320 room, 26 storey glass tower hotel located south of Direct Energy Centre and adjacent to the new Allstream Centre.
Approval of the hotel project adds to a strategy to boost the appeal of Direct Energy Centre and Allstream Centre, the largest exhibition and convention complex in the country.
“The hotel is deemed necessary to attract business” and city hall has been “very supportive” says Deputy Mayor and chairman of Exhibition Place Joe Pantalone. The proposal is scheduled to be before City of Toronto Council in December 2009.
The proposed design by HKHotels demonstrates a well-thought out urban master plan.
Some of the key design elements are:
· Hotel to be a year round attraction, with resort style amenities
· Parking will be accommodated underground for 400 cars with 2 access ramps
· Extensive green areas
· Committed to Toronto Green Standard for New Construction and LEED Silver rating
· Plan includes linkages to a renovated Stanley Barracks
HKHotels is a privately run company that successfully operates four boutique hotels in New York City. The hotel developer has put together a strong development team including Maragna Architect and Associates, and is committed to achieving LEED (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating design standard.
About Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place is Canada’s largest entertainment venue, attracting over 5.3 million visitors a year. The 192-acre site is an integral component of Toronto and Ontario’s economy, particularly with respect to sport, festivals, recreation, culture and tourism. Direct Energy Centre is located at Exhibition Place, owned by the City of Toronto and governed by the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place. Direct Energy Centre’s over 1 million square feet of space available is the largest exhibition and convention centre in Canada and the sixth largest in North America. Allstream Centre joins Direct Energy Centre in October 2009 and is Canada’s first Conference Centre to target a LEED Silver rating. Exhibition Place has won several awards such as the Platinum Waste Minimization Award from the Recycling Council of Canada and is a member of Ontario's Environmental Leaders (Leaders) Program. The Leaders program is a voluntary leadership program that offers incentives to leading companies that commit to beyond compliance environmental improvements.
About HKHotels
HKHotels is a fully integrated hotel company involved in the construction, ownership and management of hotel properties. Founded by Henry Kallan and based in New York, HKHotels is a privately owned and operated hotel collection that takes a unique perspective to the business of hospitality. Since opening its first property in 1992, HKHotels has become renowned for developing hotels that have a distinct point- of- view and offer an outstanding level of service quality. Designs for new HKHotels are currently under development in other key locations in the U.S. and Europe.
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For more information contact:
Exhibition Place
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone
City of Toronto
416-392-4009
Dianne Young
CEO, Exhibition Place
416-263-3611
Adele Gutman
VP Sales and Marketing, HK Hotels
212-201-1153
