Officials Celebrate New Hotel Opening Near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

AUSTIN, TX — Construction officials on Wednesday celebrated the opening of a new hotel in close proximity to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the latest addition in a citywide hotel boom.

Construction officials bill the 77,000-square-foot, 139-room Hyatt Place Austin is being billed as "...the perfect landing spot for travelers coming to and from Austin for both leisure and business." In addition to its convenient location, officials tout the building's environmentally conscious construction that secured it a LEED Silver certification and an Austin Energy Green Building Two Star Rating designation.

The building design includes four electric vehicle charging stations, officials noted.

For good measure, the building exudes a sense of patriotism, home to a Texas-sized flag with 15-foot by 25-foot dimensions which will soar atop a 60-foot pole, officials said. The commemorative flag is a joint project among general contractor Journeyman Construction and JCI Hospitality LLC, the developer and operator and the nonprofit organization Celebrate Texas, officials said.

A nod to the latter partner appears at the base of the flag pole in the form of a granite monument in in dedication of Jay Johnson and Charlie Yates, founding members of Celebrate Texas, officials said.

The hotel complements the brisk growth of the municipal airport located along Presidential Boulevard, which has been deemed one of the nation's "best airports" by Travel & Leisure World, officials noted. ABIA is set to exceed its annual passenger record set last year, airport officials have previously noted.

In keeping with the patriotic theme of the place, construction officials noted the new hotel's first honorary guest is Retired Base Commander Bill Porter, who settled in the Austin area after 28 years of service in the military. Following his military stint, Porter launched a second career in banking on Bergstrom Air Force Base, spending another 18 years with Bank of America, according to officials.

Journeyman Construction is that Austin-based umbrella company for JCI Hospitality, which in turn is the developer and operator for Hyatt Place Austin Airport and its other lodging facilities in the city: The Hyatt House Austin Downtown and the hybrid Holiday Inn Express & Hotel Indigo Austin Downtown. The company also operates the Hilton Garden Inn near the Lawton, Okla. convention center.

>>> Courtesy photo