Feb 2, 2008 11:15 pm US/Eastern
Balt.'s Hilton Hotel Books Rooms Before Opening
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
-
-
Baltimore's Hilton Hotel already has rooms and meeting spaces booked and the hotel has not even opened for business.
Mere months are left before Baltimore opens the doors to its newest hotel.
Gigi Barnett explains it already has a national convention in the works and nights of booked rooms.
Right next to the Bromo Seltzer Tower in downtown Baltimore, the construction on the city's newest hotel continues.
Much of the Hilton Baltimore is already booked.
"We open in late August and we'll be ready for them in Sept.," said Linda Norman, general manager at Hilton Baltimore
Then the National Guard Association plans to host its convention at the hotel. The organization says Charm City was perfect because of its future hotel and its many historic accomplishments.
"The Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War. It just makes a great feel of sense for the military to be here for the conference," said Ret. Brig. Gen. Stephen Koper, Pres. National Guard Assoc.
"Thankful that we have this hotel, that we're seeing this kind of business in town now," said Tom Noonan, BACVA President.
Noonan says in addition to attracting thousands of people, the National Guard Association will book at least 10,000 rooms citywide during the convention.
Those visitors are expected to bring plenty of cash and spend more than $4 million.
"We're excited about it, because it's going to put Baltimore in a national spotlight," said Noonan.
That could mean more conventions packing Baltimore's new hotel.
The National Guard Convention is expected to bring even larger groups to Baltimore, like a Republican or Democratic National Convention.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
