Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Umass hotel taxes heading to Town Hall

The line-item veto documents are on the web, and it looks like the hotel tax changes all made it through unscathed. So next time your annoying relatives are in town, put them up at the Campus Center Hotel.

2 comments:

Alisa V. Brewer said...

Thank you very much for waiting til we were bulletproof, Gavin!

It's a terrific win-win since the tax *doesn't* cost UMass anything, and it's not like their potential customers will find a non-taxed alternative!

Looking forward to Stan's press release with updated revenue estimates -- I think the last time this was part of municipal relief the estimate was around $70,000/yr, and that was of course before the Campus Hotel did their $9.2m renovation:

In the Loop

June 22, 2009
Campus Center Hotel shines after renovation

The Campus Center Hotel has been transformed from a 1970s-era facility into a modern, three-star facility that stands out as a top destination in Western Massachusetts, according to campus officials.

The renovation of 116 rooms on four floors within the Campus Center complex was accomplished in just under a year through a $9.2 million investment. “We believe we now offer the best rooms in the Pioneer Valley,” says Meredith E. Schmidt, director of the Campus Center. A special aspect of the hotel’s appeal, Schmidt notes, is the facility’s location in the heart of the flagship state university and all of its educational, cultural and athletic activities.

“Our rooms have beautiful views of the campus,” says Schmidt. The south-facing rooms look over the Campus Pond while the north-facing rooms provide a view of the engineering and science complex with the rolling hills north of Amherst in the background. The north rooms are extremely popular in the fall, when the foliage is at its peak.

“The Campus Center Hotel is the living room of the campus,” says David O’Connor, hotel manager. “We offer a warm, comforting and inviting environment for students, visitors, conferees and visiting faculty.” He adds that the hotel also maintains a role as part of the academic environment, serving as a training site for students in the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department in the Isenberg School of Management.

The newly refurbished rooms include wall-mounted LCD televisions, iPod docking stations and same-day laundry service. The walls are decorated with photos of the campus that chronicle the development of the campus from its roots as an agricultural school to a modern university. There are Internet access ports and plug-in stations for laptop computers, modern bathrooms, new windows that open and a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system that saves energy. There is also a new, secure passcard entry system. Parking and a Continental breakfast are included in the room price, Schmidt says.

Rooms range from standard double occupancy to suites that include a separate bedroom, a living room area, two bathrooms and a kitchenette. Schmidt emphasizes that the Campus Center is an excellent location for a conference, hosting 200 to 300 each year. The complex has 36 meeting rooms available to support events.

Work is still underway to remodel the hotel’s main lobby, O’Connor says. That should be done by August. In addition, the elevator cars that run to the rooms will be updated with new lighting and new white glass walls.

UMass Hotel

Larry Kelley said...

And that $70,000/yr was of course at the old rate of 4%.

Nice catch Gavin.