Sweetwater Construction Corp. Retained As Construction Manager For Holiday Inn Select Memphis Airport Hotel & Conference Center Renovation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. 2-26-10 – Sweetwater Construction Corp., a recognized leader in New Jersey construction management and general contracting, has announced that it has been retained as the construction manager for the renovation of the Holiday Inn Select Memphis Airport Hotel & Conference Center at 2240 Democrat Rd. in Memphis, Tenn.

As construction manager, Sweetwater Construction Corp. will assist in scheduling, procurement and phasing logistics and oversee the re-construction of the five-story, interior corridor hotel, which was originally constructed in 1973 and had a second five-story tower, similar to the first, constructed shortly there after. The towers are connected by a skywalk and have large central atriums that the rooms open on to.

"This hotel requires a complete renovation to update its appearance and to meet the current brand standards of Holiday Inn," said Ron Witt Jr., Sweetwater's executive vice president in charge of Hospitality projects. "We are renovating and modernizing all areas of the hotel to meet current brand standards, including life safety standards."

Sweetwater specializes in a range of types of construction projects, but has made a particular specialty of hotels. Among the many hotels Sweetwater has completed are the Hampton Inn in Plainsboro and Woodbridge, NJ, the Homewood Suites in Cranbury and Rutherford, NJ, the Holiday Inn in Manahawkin, NJ, Courtyard by Marriott in Paramus and Princeton, the Residence Inn in Cranbury and Princeton, N.J., and the Staybridge Suites in Cranbury and Parsippany, N.J.

The Memphis Holiday Inn renovation is expected to be complete by the middle of July and will include the reconstruction of the exterior, the lobby and registration desk, public restrooms, lounge, meeting rooms, restaurant and kitchen, business center, fitness center, pool area and game room, guest corridors, guest rooms, guest room bathrooms, guest suites and administrative facilities.

The exterior repairs will involve renovations and modernization, including a new roofline, new base detailing and a new color scheme, as well as the removal of existing exterior signage and the installation of new signage. Additional exterior renovations will include repaving, re-sealing and re-striping the parking lot, as well as pruning and weeding the existing landscaping and trees.

The existing lobby, which includes the hotel’s administrative offices, lounge, registration desk, café and business center, will be updated with a new layout, which will provide a more appealing and functional space that embraces new seating arrangements, a new bell hop stand, new wall finishes and a better integration of the free standing café and administrative offices, as well as the open bar and business center areas. The new lobby area will also feature new furnishings, artwork and décor, floor finishes, ceiling finishes and decorative lighting.

The renovation of the restaurant, the Memphis Bell & Grill, will focus on the outside entry area. The existing solarium glass entry will be replaced with a new canopy entrance that is more consistent with the new exterior design. Inside, the renovation will create a more inviting space with new wall finishes, carpeting and artwork.

The Holiday Inn has over 20 meeting rooms consisting of 33,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, the largest of all the Memphis Airport hotels. The renovations will incorporate a new meeting room layout with a business center design that coordinates with the new lobby and atrium design. The improvements will include new carpeting, wall vinyl and light fixtures.

Also undergoing renovation will be the 374 guest rooms and the suites, which are designed for traveling executives. The renovations will include new carpeting, bedding, window treatments, soft seating and furniture-grade cabinets to house the existing refrigerators and microwaves. Renovations to the guest bathrooms will include a new finish and décor package including vanities, wall vinyl, decorative mirrors, accessories and lighting.

The guest corridors, as well as the elevators, stairwells, vending areas and guest laundry room will also be completely renovated, including new flooring, wall and ceiling finishes, lighting, window treatments and door and frame finishes.

Additionally, the renovations will include improvements throughout the hotel to meet the American With Disabilities Act (ADA) and life safety standards. Such improvements include installing 12 fully compliant ADA guestrooms; eight upgraded guestrooms, four of which will have roll-in showers; eight rooms for the hearing impaired; and a new entrance into the fitness center, as well as emergency lighting, hard-wired smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors for all public areas.

The Holiday Inn Select Memphis Airport is conveniently located in the heart of Memphis, five minutes from Memphis International Airport and 10 minutes from the world-famous Beale Street Entertainment District, the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock and roll; FedEx Forum arena, home of the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team; the National Civil Rights Museum and Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

For more information about Sweetwater Construction visit their Web site at www.sweetwatercorp.com.

About Sweetwater Construction Corp.

Established in 1974 and headquartered in Cranbury, N.J., Sweetwater Construction is guided by a proven management team and a client-centric business philosophy. Sweetwater provides clients with expert preconstruction and construction services backed by professional commitment and personal accountability. Sweetwater’s project teams possess proven track records in the corporate, healthcare, science and technology, hospitality, multi-family and institutional sectors. In preconstruction, Sweetwater provides expertise in budgeting, estimating, constructability, scheduling, design assistance, and value engineering. Sweetwater’s project methodology focuses on disciplined construction project management, with high standards in project controls, quality control, safety, and construction execution. For more information please visit http://www.sweetwatercorp.com.