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 ORLANDO, FL— Meeting attendees at the Orange County Convention Center (OCC) will soon have more upscale lodging options. Ground breaking took place in May for the 1400-room Hilton Orlando hotel, located just south of the OCCC . The $380 million, 18-story hotel, which sits on 26.4 acres, will offer direct access to the south Concourse of the OCC through a pedestrian sky bridge and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2009.

"We are excited to bring this new and contemporary Hilton to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center and to help fill the need for high-end hotel rooms in the area," said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Hilton Brand management, Hilton Hotels Corporation.  "The destination’s vibrant personality combined with Hilton’s upscale standards set the stage to make this property the convention center’s flagship hotel."

In addition to its 1,400 well-appointed guestrooms, including 52 suites, the property will include a 15,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, an Italian restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, an upscale sports bar, a lobby lounge, pool bar and grill and a deli. The hotel will feature more than 130,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 50,000 square foot grand ballroom, a 30,000 square foot junior ballroom and 38 meeting rooms.

The Hilton Orlando is designed to take advantage of what is considered a booming Orlando convention market, although that market has been undermined by relatively few hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center. "The Hilton Orlando is a true full-service hotel that will not only serve the convention center but will also have a great leisure and spa component, allowing both conventioneers and leisure guests the opportunity to enjoy  Orlando," said Ira Mitzner, president of Rida Development Corporation, who will act as lead developer of the project.

Rida Development Corporation,  with Apollo Real Estate, will have majority ownership of the hotel. The Hilton Hotels Corporation will manage the hotel and retain a minority ownership interest. The Hilton Orlando is being designed by HKS Architects in Orlando and will be built by Welbro Building Corporation.

"We are thrilled to be forming this unique partnership with Hilton, who will not only manage the new hotel but also be our partner in the deal," said John Jacobsson, managing partner of Apollo Real Estate Advisors.