On a typical evening in downtown Gainesville, people walk to restaurants, quirky bars or the Hippodrome, across cobblestone streets illuminated by the colorful glow of popular spots. It is a place where students can study in a coffee shop, or stay out at a piano bar until closing. It suits a broad range of palettes, from the artsy student who wants to purchase a vintage record to the young professional on-the-go who wants to buy a latte, next door or across the street.
Key International took note of this bustling cultural hub and acquired the downtown Hampton Inn and Suites on September 1. This is the first time the Miami-based real estate investment and development company has invested in Gainesville property. The hotel attracted Key International’s attention because it sits in a vibrant part of the city, central to a lot of economic drivers, such as dining, shopping and entertainment said Shawn Gracey, executive vice president at Key International.
“From the moment we arrived in Gainesville, we enjoyed the location and the proximity to what Gainesville has to offer,” Gracey said, adding that the community has been especially supportive. “We feel that we are being welcomed by the community, which is a great thing.”
Hampton Inn customers enjoy a fresh environment, Gracey said, which is why the company plans to bring the hotel’s interior to more current standards. For instance, bringing in new upgrades so that guests using the Hilton app will be able to unlock their doors digitally from their phones. Other upgrades will affect the lobby and breakfast areas, with a primary focus on guest rooms, he said. The rooms’ overall interior, including furniture, carpeting and beds are some of the focus areas that will be modernized. While Gracey looks forward to enhancing the guest experience through interior improvements, he said its location in downtown Gainesville was the primary reason for the investment.
On average, the hotel has 83 percent occupancy, Gracey said, with especially high traffic during football season in the fall. Gracey said for now, Key International plans to postpone renovations until the hotel has fewer visitors. The changes are expected to be completed in March 2017, he said.
People across the state who share a connection with the city have made a point to congratulate the company on their recent acquisition of the Gainesville property, Gracey said.
Noted Gracey, “It is a direct reflection of how Gainesville is connected through business throughout Florida and throughout the U.S.”
JENNIFER JENKINS discovered her love for writing when she drafted her first expository essay on a beautician who botched her haircut in second grade. While she works on her journalism degree at the University of Florida, she interns in the Advantage Publishing editorial department. She appreciates the opportunity to highlight local businesses and talent in Gainesville while she works on honing her rhetoric. Ultimately, she dreams of working in the fashion industry, where a good haircut will be nonnegotiable.