Houston First, a local government corporation that generates economic growth through the business of conventions, has selected Rida Development Corporation to enter into exclusive negotiations to build a 1,000-room convention center hotel near the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Rida is headquartered in Houston and will team with Morris Architects, a well-established Houston firm with almost 75 years of experience in the Houston area.
“We are so excited to be developing this transformational hotel in our home city of Houston,” said Ira Mitzner, president of Rida Development Corporation. “We look forward to the day when Houston competes among the best convention destinations in the United States.”
The hotel is to be developed on the block immediately north of Discovery Green and attached via a skybridge to the convention center.
“This new convention center hotel will increase our convention business and bring new energy to the City’s convention district,” said Ric Campo, chairman of Houston First. “The hotel will bring significant sales resources for the convention market and will be a welcome addition to the Houston sales teams.”
Houston First officials thanked the 11 teams that responded to a Request for Qualifications for a developer and design team to build this second hotel at the convention center.
“We had a strong response from outstanding teams that recognized the vitality of our convention district and the opportunities it poses for the future,” said Dawn Ullrich, president and CEO of Houston First.
Houston First will also begin the process to construct a parking garage at the north end of the convention center later this year. The parking garage will have approximately 1,800 spaces, contain first-floor retail space and will serve both the public and the new convention hotel.
