Florida’s Palm Beach County is boosting its travel offerings with some new hotel, retail and entertainment projects. We hear that more than 1,000 new hotel rooms are expected to open by the end of the year, with an additional 800 rooms in hotel development projects still awaiting approval.
The development is supported by some strong numbers: The record-high six million visitors to The Palm Beaches in 2013 generated a $6.8 billion economic impact on the destination. As the top industry in Palm Beach County, tourism accounts for one job per every 100 visitors to The Palm Beaches, with each visitor directly spending an average of $1,100.
Here are some notable projects that have either just opened or are in the works throughout The Palm Beaches:
Construction of the 403-room Palm Beach County Convention Center Hilton Hotel broke ground in December 2013. Directly connected to the 350,000-square-foot Palm Beach County Convention Center, the hotel is expected to greatly increase the meetings and conventions business in the area when completed in 2016.
The Palm Beach Outlets, the county’s first outlet center, opened its first phase of stores in February 2014, including Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, J.Crew | crewcuts Factory, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic Factory Store and Kenneth Cole. The complex’s next phase, consisting of more than 500,000-square-feet, will include 20 additional retailers.
The reinvented Waterstone Resort & Marina - A DoubleTree by Hilton opened this month with 139 guest rooms, several restaurants, a marina and on-site watersports.
In the northern portion of the county, the all-new Harbourside Place and Wyndham Grand Jupiter is set to open in September. Right on Jupiter’s Intracoastal Waterway, the 179-room Wyndham Grand Jupiter serves as the anchor to Harbourside Place, with more than 15,000 square feet of event space, a rooftop pool, a signature restaurant and a 31-slip marina.
Also in Jupiter, Courtyard Palm Beach Jupiter is scheduled to open June and will include 125 guestrooms, nearly 2,500 square feet of event space, a restaurant, coffee shop, full service bar and an outdoor swimming pool all within close proximity to area attractions.
On Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue, the 95-room Fairfield Inn Delray Beach is expected to be completed later this year. The property will join the Hyatt Place Delray Beach in offering hotel accommodations downtown among the city’s restaurants, shopping and nightlife.
Construction is underway in downtown West Palm Beach on a Marriott Residence Inn, one block from the popular shopping and entertainment center, CityPlace. The 152-unit property is expected to be complete in late 2014. Nice touch: Units will have full kitchens.
A Holiday Inn Express in Lantana is expected to be completed in 2015.