What’s New in Buffalo’s
Hospitality Industry

The Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is very excited to announce $7 Million in renovations taking place the summer of 2010. The project calls for complete renovation of the exhibit hall, kitchen facilities and main entrance of the facility. The funding is provided by the County of Erie and includes improvements to the exhibit hall, kitchen and front entrance.

• The 64,410 sq.ft. exhibit hall will be completely redone
• The ceiling will be painted, new flexible lighting, sound baffling and acoustical treatments will be added to enhance production capabilities
• The walls will be recovered and new LED lights added
• An electronic curtain system will be incorporated to allow natural light in or darken the hall based on client needs
• The floor will be completely resurfaced to make for a clean, modern appearance
• Renovations to the show office, concession areas and new signage will complete the look
• Technology upgrades throughout the building will also be included.

The kitchen area will be expanded and completely redesigned resulting in more efficient production areas, additional storage and all new energy saving appliances and equipment throughout

A chef’s table and tasting room will also be included in the plans to allow clients the opportunity to experience first hand the high quality food and beverage prepared and served to our guests. Lastly, the main entrance will become both grander and more visible to our guests and the community alike. A new porte-cochere and decorative LED lighting on the facade of the building will be added. A new state of the art electronic marquee sign will be used to welcome groups as well as promote their events and the wonderful assets of the community.

The Convention Center hosts approximately 200 events and welcomes over 300,000 people annually and will reopen for business in Mid-September. We look forward to sharing these exciting renovations with our clients and the community.

Plans for the construction of a new boutique hotel in downtown Buffalo are currently underway.  Mark Croce, owner of several restaurants and bars in the city has stated that his new Franklin Street hotel will have 57 rooms and be marketed as an upscale destination.  The $19 million hotel project is set to be completed in late 2010.  

The new Fairfield Inn & Suites Buffalo-Airport is officially open for business. Situated directly across the street from the airport, the five-story, 140-room hotel is located at 4271 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY. The property offers a variety of room types, including suites, as well as a fitness center, indoor pool, large meeting space, and a complimentary airport shuttle service. To make reservations or request information about Fairfield Inn & Suites Buffalo-Airport, please call (716) 633-2488 or visit their website.

A new luxury hotel, Embassy Suites, opened recently in downtown Buffalo on Delaware Avenue. In the center of it all, the hotel is steps away from Buffalo's Theater District and Chippewa Entertainment District and more than 50 restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. The 150-room hotel is complete with an on-site convenience store, full service beauty salon, an indoor pool, a fitness room and a business center.

History buffs can experience a significant moment in US history by visiting the newly restored and enhanced Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site at the Wilcox Mansion in downtown Buffalo. Visit the Mansion where Roosevelt took the oath of office in 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley.

As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a passport, a passport card, a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST, or an enhanced driver's license are the only documentation accepted at the border.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Buffalo one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations, citing the city’s “staggering range of cultural resources as well as some of the country’s most captivating architecture” as the rationale for Buffalo’s inclusion on this very prestigious list. Since 2000, the Trust has annually selected communities across the United States that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination. In the Trust’s estimation, Buffalo convincingly meets this standard.

The New York Times has picked its 44 Places To Go in 2009 and Buffalo’s on the list, along with the likes of Washington, D.C., Berlin, Vienna and Copenhagen. According to The Times, the 44 destinations feature “this year’s most compelling destinations…awash in sublime landscapes, cutting-edge art and architecture, gala music festivals and stylish new resorts.” We’re thrilled to be a part of this impressive company and suggest you visit nytimes.com to see what The Times has to say about our fair city.

The Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo will start the first phase of an estimated $10 million renovation program early next year that will result in $6 million in upgrades and improvements to all 300 guest rooms.  The hotel is also planning on spending nearly $4 million on renovating its meeting rooms, indoor swimming pools and restaurants.  The Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo is the area’s sixth largest hotel, and one of the region’s busiest with close proximity to the Walden Galleria, the region’s largest shopping center, and New York State Thruway. 

The Hampton Inn adjacent to University at Buffalo in Amherst is now known as Hotel Indigo. The Cheektowaga-based Hart Hotels Inc. switched the Hampton’s name to Hotel Indigo, after becoming affiliated with the emerging, upper-end product from the Intercontinental Hotels chain. The state’s first Hotel Indigo also underwent a $6 million renovation.

The Adam’s Mark was recently sold to the Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment LLC who plan to spend more than $1 million in renovations to the 486-room hotel. The sale was completed in September after being acquired in Spring 2007. In the short term, the name will remain the same, but options are being weighed for the hotel’s brand name change. Hospitality industry sources speculate that Sheraton or Hilton are the most likely candidates. The Adam’s Mark is the area’s second-largest hotel.