UNT moves forward on Hotel and Convention Center deal

Harry · December 6, 2013

The University of North Texas Board of Regents on Thursday endorsed plans for a full-service hotel and convention center in Denton and authorized the chancellor to finalize a deal with the city.

Officials at UNT and the city are still wrestling over some of the smaller details of agreements with the project developer.

The board has determined it is in the best interest of the system and UNT to enter agreements with appropriate conditions to support the development of the hotel, restaurant and convention center complex, according to a motion approved by regents at their regular meeting Thursday.

Terms of a sublease between UNT and OReilly Hospitality Management Partners were not finalized in time for the meeting, according to university spokeswoman Kelley Reese.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20131205-unt-moves-forward-on-deal.ece

Harry · December 6, 2013

Some background info on the project in case you missed it: http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20130917-project-moving-ahead.ece

Harry · December 6, 2013

The project will include:

At minimum a 9 story Embassy suites hotel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_Suites_Hotels

An adjacent Houilihan's restaurant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houlihan%27s

At minimum a 100,000 square foot convention center

Harry · December 6, 2013

Here's a presentation on the conference center and hotel from March 2013: http://rodenfordenton.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Convention-Center-update-03-19-13.pdf

UNT Mean Green · December 6, 2013

Great resources, thanks Harry!

FirefightnRick · December 6, 2013

....and there's our indoor football practice facility included as well. As long as everyone takes their cleats off at the door we should be good to go.

Rick

Edited December 6, 2013 by FirefightnRick

PlummMeanGreen · December 6, 2013

....and there's our indoor football practice facility included as well. As long as everyone takes their cleats off at the door we should be good to go.
Rick

And if all are wearing their dinner jackets, too.

PlummMeanGreen · December 6, 2013

What the City of Denton & UNT are doing looks darn fine to me.

This is what's happening in Rajun Cajun Country (or something for us to compare to).

Denton and UNT planners may want to take a few notes on some of the things Lafayette is doing. (Still not sure why U of L is not a member of the new CUSA, quite frankly).

Layfayette's center is adjacent to UL's Cajun Dome but ours will be (somewhat) adjacent and very easy to walk to the 10,000 seat UNT Super Pit. Not all small to medium sized conventions have access to a 10K seat venue such as the Super Pit I think most would agree. (BTW, even the Super Pit could be used for additional exhibit space on the main floor and the huge square footage area on the lower floor, too).

And no, Denton will not be vying for the humongous National Home Builders Trade Show, but there are more small to medium conventions out there that meets the eye that they will be in the running.

I had such a list of those small to medium trade shows linked at one time but lost the link in a computer crash couple years ago. It was an amazingly long list of trade shows and I used that link on this board to show to a few of our usual 'nay-sayers" who said "Denton won't ever get 'no' convention" just how damn wrong they would be once again.

http://www.lafayettetravel.com/groups-meetings/meetings-conventions/convention-facilities/convention-center

Edited December 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

Stan R · December 6, 2013

fantastic. Will only enhance the experience and I believe turbocharge attendance.

Stan R · December 6, 2013

any idea on when a realistic start of construction would be given what's left to finalize? 2015 maybe?

ADLER · December 6, 2013

....and there's our indoor football practice facility included as well. As long as everyone takes their cleats off at the door we should be good to go.
Rick

You're joking, but there could be a future need for a multiple use facility that could be switched back and forth from being an indoor practice facility and a convention center arena that could host car shows, boat shows, industrial shows etc.

PlummMeanGreen · December 6, 2013

You're joking, but there could be a future need for a multiple use facility that could be switched back and forth from being an indoor practice facility and a convention center arena that could host car shows, boat shows, industrial shows etc.

ADLER, you already know I think you are a genius!

And thus a reason to build an indoor practice facility close to the hotel/conventions center when its finally gets built, too? Is there room?

And such a venue would need to match the brick (or general appearance) of the ones it would complement, too, right?

Edited December 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

FirefightnRick · December 6, 2013

You're joking, but there could be a future need for a multiple use facility that could be switched back and forth from being an indoor practice facility and a convention center arena that could host car shows, boat shows, industrial shows etc.

Now you know that's way too far outside the box for us,...but I like it.

Rick

adman · December 6, 2013

I've used Dallas Convention Center many times as a sound stage for commercial shoots. Way more affordable than actual sound stages. So yeah, you can do a lot more than just conventions with convention centers.

Daddy Dumpsalot · December 6, 2013

What the City of Denton & UNT are doing looks darn fine to me.

This is what's happening in Rajun Cajun Country (or something for us to compare to).

Denton and UNT planners may want to take a few notes on some of the things Lafayette is doing. (Still not sure why U of L is not a member of the new CUSA, quite frankly).

Because they suck. Are you saying because they are building cool things they should be be in CUSA?

PlummMeanGreen · December 6, 2013

Because they suck. Are you saying because they are building cool things they should be be in CUSA?

Well, they are going to suck all the way back for another appearnace in the NO"s Bowl with about 40,000 of their fans. Doesn't sound too sucky of a situation to me at all.

And concerning their civic venues located at their school's city of location? I don't really think I ever really suggested that as a reason to bring em' into CUSA but I think they should have been invited before Old Dominion, Charlotte U, HIllbilly & Moonshine U and anyone else because they have a bowl team every year, they got the attention of the poll'sters this Fall and got several Top 25 votes and............. Tulane U is going to the AAC.

I don't think there are many on this board reading it the last several years who would disagree with UL, either; that is, over others who got invites.

Edited December 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

houstonmeangreen · December 6, 2013

any idea on when a realistic start of construction would be given what's left to finalize? 2015 maybe?

From my discussions with someone connected with unt at mgr level .....look for spring or early summer of next yr

UNT90 · December 6, 2013

Well, they are going to suck all the way back for another appearnace in the NO"s Bowl with about 40,000 of their fans. Doesn't sound too sucky of a situation to me at all.

And concerning their civic venues located at their school's city of location? I don't really think I ever really suggested that as a reason to bring em' into CUSA but I think they should have been invited before Old Dominion, Charlotte U, HIllbilly & Moonshine U and anyone else because they have a bowl team every year, they got the attention of the poll'sters this Fall and got several Top 25 votes and............. Tulane U is going to the AAC.

I don't think there are many on this board reading it the last several years who would disagree with UL, either; that is, over others who got invites.

LaLa should be in CUSA.

San Antonio CC should not.

In a fair world free of TV markets and politics, this would have happened. Sadly, that world is a fantasy.

Edited December 6, 2013 by UNT90

Stix · December 6, 2013

And if all are wearing their dinner jackets, too.

Cashmere?

+1

Mean Green Matt · December 6, 2013

Who the hell is this UL everyone is talking about?

Harry · December 6, 2013

Who the hell is this UL everyone is talking about?

The University of Louisiana of course.

Mean Green Matt · December 6, 2013

The University of Louisiana of course.

Without further specification it's impossible to know who this refers to.

UNTFan23 · December 6, 2013

The University of Louisiana of course.

Monroe or Lafeyette?

Stan R · December 6, 2013

From my discussions with someone connected with unt at mgr level .....look for spring or early summer of next yr

wow that's great if that is indeed the case. wasn't expecting it to be that soon.

Tyler Maryak · December 6, 2013

I cannot, at this time, imagine what the complaints will be. However, after having it out over here (http://www.occupy.com/article/exposed-university-president-lied-students-about-fracking-school-property) for a little while, I am sure that there will be students belly-aching about how this is a bad thing. They'll say, "Why are we spending money on this instead of the world's biggest and best music building ever?" And someone will point out that UNT isn't paying for this project, the university is just on the lease. Then, because they can't be wrong, they'll try to argue that UNT should force the city to give us the money for this project to use for a new art building.

Sorry, I just realized that this is actually a ramble and not a contribution to the thread. I guess I'm a little jaded and saddened when I witness how illogical and needlessly pissy some of the people I went/go to school with can be. Maybe they can do something with the convention center to appease the hippies!