Beitler Real Estate Services, the City’s development partner on the Judge Doyle Project redevelopment on Blocks 88 and 105 in downtown Madison, has submitted the Hilton Embassy Suites as the brand and Aimbridge Hospitality as the operator of the new hotel to be built on Block 105 on the current site of the City’s Government East garage. Under the terms of the Development Agreement executed in July 2016 between the City and Beitler, the Common Council must approve the hotel brand and operator. That agreement requires that the hotel flag be an appropriate and credible brand with a national sales force and reservation systems, and have an experienced hotel operator reasonably acceptable to the City and the Developer.

In submitting the brand and operator for the new hotel to the City, J. Paul Beitler, President of Beitler Real Estate Services LLP, stated, "The submittal of the hotel brand and operator for City approval is the first step in the process to negotiate and execute actual franchise agreements with Hilton and an operating agreement with Aimbridge."

The Embassy Suites by Hilton is a national brand offering many full-service attributes without the full service hotel costs. It provides a platform for a wide range of guests and for Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center visitors who stay for several nights. The proposed 253-room Embassy Suites Downtown Madison would include the brand’s signature amenities, including a free made-to-order breakfast and two-hour complimentary evening reception with snacks and beverages, free Wi-Fi and comfortable guest rooms with a living area and bedroom. Larger hotel amenities will consist of meeting rooms, state-of-the-art fitness center featuring cardio equipment and an indoor heated pool.

Aimbridge Hospitality is one of the largest independent management companies in the United States and currently manages approximately 700 hotels / 85,000 rooms. Aimbridge’s staff and executive team members are very experienced in the industry and the company is the largest operator of the Embassy Suites brand, and manages several locations with convention center aspects to the hotels.

Mayor Soglin stated, "The City of Madison has worked for the past decade to site a new hotel at this location to serve Monona Terrace. We are pleased that the Beitler team has addressed the City’s requirements to select a hotel flag and brand to complement, enhance and attract additional conventions to Monona Terrace."

Deb Archer, President of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau commented, "We are pleased to see this important project move forward. The number of rooms is key to supporting existing and attracting new conventions and events to Monona Terrace and the city. We look forward to learning more details about the hotel in the days ahead."

Gregg McManners, Executive Director of the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, added, "We are excited to add another nationally recognized flagship hotel to Downtown Madison close to Monona Terrace. We look forward to hearing more details about the rooms, meeting space and guest amenities."
This announcement follows the start of the first phase of the redevelopment project, the construction of the new 620-car underground Judge Doyle Garage on Block 88 in Downtown Madison. The garage will replace the City’s 60-year old Government East above ground garage on Block 105. Upon the completion of the new garage in February 2019, the Government East garage will be demolished. Construction of the new hotel could begin in the spring of 2019.

The Judge Doyle project is an important city initiative to continue the revitalization of Madison’s downtown and add new tax base to the City. It is located on a two-block area encompassing Block 88, behind the Madison Municipal Building, and across South Pinckney Street on Block 105, the current site of City’s Government East parking garage. The project will unite the vibrant Capitol Square and the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center with a significant mixed-use development project comprised of commercial, hotel, residential, retail and restaurant use combined with public parking and bicycle facilities. The public garage is the first element of the two-block redevelopment, and will lead the way for a second phase of private development to follow, estimated at $175 million in total, to be developed by the City’s private development partner in the Judge Doyle project, Beitler Real Estate Services of Chicago.

The history of the project can be found on the Judge Doyle website at:
www.cityofmadison.com/planning/judgedoylesquare/.