Related Tapped to Develop Palm Beach Convention Hotel

March 10, 2010
By Allison Landa, News Editor

Courtesy Flickr Creative Commons user scott_48074

Development firm Related Companies, L.P. has been approved by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners to develop the 400-room Palm Beach County Convention Center Hilton hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Known for developing the $600 million CityPlace retail and entertainment center in downtown West Palm Beach as well as the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle in New York, Related has a more than $15 portfolio of residential, retail, office, trade-show and affordable properties. The firm beat out three competitors in the bidding process.

The process has been long and contentious, with some arguing that the area is already overbuilt and others rebutting that the convention center will not be able to compete with others without a major adjacent hotel. The hotel is expected to bring more than 360 full-time construction jobs over a two-year period as well as 300 permanent jobs upon full buildout, according to Palm Beach County assistant county administrator Shannon LaRocque-Baas.

“Related is thrilled to have been selected as the developer of the convention center hotel in Palm Beach County and to continue to realize the CityPlace master plan,” Related chairman and CEO Stephen Ross said in a statement. “There is no doubt that the hotel is a lynchpin to the success of the county’s very significant investment in the convention center and will be a powerful tourism attractor and key amenity.”

Related’s development team includes Hilton Worldwide, Coastal Construction and Catafulmo Construction, and architectural firm Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, Inc.