Fort Worth Inc.
From left, Iwan Griffiths, a representative of the Fort Worth Chamber, David McIntyre, CJ Wittmaak, Michael Crain, and Mayor Mattie Parker during the ribbon cutting on Friday.
The new era of the Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown formally began Friday morning with stakeholders and city leaders gathering for the ceremonial ribbon cutting on a $45 million makeover.
The high-profile project impacted every area of the property, in essence building a new hotel at 1701 Commerce Street.
“They were ambitious in their intent, and they really wanted to make sure that when they were done, that this hotel really represented their belief of what it should be and the kind of guest experience people coming to Fort Worth should have when they're staying in a hotel here,” said Bob Jameson, president and CEO of Visit Fort Worth.
“And that has absolutely been accomplished.”
Mayor Mattie Parker and Councilman Michael Crain joined officials with hotel owners Vesta Equity, including David McIntyre, founder and principal, CJ Wittmaak, and Iwan Griffiths, the firm’s portfolio manager, in the ribbon cutting.
The hotel hosted brunch afterward.
“Hospitality is not our core business, but our firm belief in the potential of Fort Worth inspired us to take on this ambitious project,” said Griffiths. “We saw the transformation of the hotel as an opportunity to contribute to the growth and prosperity of this vibrant city which we hold in such high regard.
“Today we are not just unveiling a beautifully renovated hotel, we're opening a new chapter for the community, the guests and the entire Fort Worth area. Our vision was to create a haven where travelers can find comfort, business minds can meet and collaborate, and everyone can experience unparalleled hospitality.”
Griffiths called McIntyre’s commitment to the project “unwavering from the very beginning”
“He saw the potential in the property and dedicated significant resources to ensuring successful transformation.”
Vesta Equity is based in Sarasota, Florida.
The Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown is across the street from the soon-to-be expanded Fort Worth Convention Center, the Water Gardens, and Texas A&M-Fort Worth, whose construction is underway.
The hotel has a history in Fort Worth, opening in 1974 as a Hilton Inn. It has undergone a couple of modest renovations during the past few decades. The current undertaking is similar to Sheraton’s recently completed renovated hotels in Denver and Phoenix, which have received rave reviews from guests and travel experts.
The almost 30,000-square-foot conference space located on the second floor — including a large ballroom — is also part of the transformation, and includes new carpet, lighting, furniture, and the latest audiovisual technology to allow for presentations and video playback. The spaces are adaptable to meet the needs of small, large, and multi-room events.
The newly modernized 403 rooms will feature platform beds, 55-inch televisions, adjustable worktables, numerous charging outlets and power sources, and larger bathrooms.
The Sheraton Fort Worth will have 37 suites — compared to 25 today — including three suites with more than 1,000 square feet. The expansive top-floor Trinity Suite will feature a large parlor and two bedrooms with king-sized beds.
“It is a brand-new building with perhaps a 50-year-old shell, but it reflects the experience that travelers today want when they're staying at a hotel,” Jameson said. “And we're proud that in Fort Worth, right across from our convention center, which is under expansion now, that they're going to be helping welcome our guests like they have this last week with the convention that we just had in town.”
