MeadowView cuts ribbon on Conference Center Expansion
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KINGSPORT, Tenn. ‚¬ Kingsports MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center is once again soaring to new heights.
City of Kingsport and Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce officials today joined with MeadowView leaders to cut the ribbon on the award-winning resorts new Executive Conference Center, a $15 million expansion that will bring millions of new revenue dollars to Kingsport.
The two-story, 30,000-square-bart wing is a first-class, upscale venue with a country club look and feel.‚ The new addition encompasses a 5,000-square-bart ballroom, two U-shaped, state-of-the-art amphitheaters (one 60-seat and the other 160-seat), two executive boardrooms (seating 30 people each), a state-of-the-art media conference room, a stunning grand staircase and a wine cellar with space for special parties and events.
‚ MeadowViews new Executive Conference Center is a stunning and powerful addition to what has already become a very successful facility, MeadowView General Manager Andy King said. The Executive Conference Center is a tremendous addition to this entire region in terms of what we can offer for meetings and reception space and it gives MeadowView the opportunity to sell to an entirely different segment of customers we werent able to target before and greatly increase our competitive edge in the Southeast market.
‚ After fifteen-plus years, MeadowView has proven time and again to be one of Kingsports greatest assets, Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips said. With these latest public and private improvements to the property, we have created an even stronger Conference Center that will continue to attract visitors to Kingsport for years to come.‚ At the same time, when joined next year by the new aquatic center, we will have put a solid foundation in place for continued private development in the MeadowView area, which is fast becoming the premier business location in the Tri-Cities.
MeadowView makes an annual $25 million impact on the local economy.‚ That number is expected to soar with the opening of the new Executive Conference Center.
‚ MeadowView already means millions of dollars to our local economy and this new addition will mean even more business and a tremendous amount of new revenue for Kingsport, said Pat Kane, Kingsport Chamber Chair and senior vice president for marketing and communications for Wellmont Health System.‚
A beautiful and spacious pre-function area surrounds the new ballroom on the upper floor and contains spectacular views of the Cattails at MeadowView golf course.‚ Three new balconies containing outdoor furniture also accompany the upper floor.
A new verandah was also created that leads guests around The Meadows restaurant to the new wing.‚ A new terrace with seating was also built outside the restaurant and the resort has also added beautiful new landscaping in the adjoining courtyard.
In addition, the expansion includes a new road extending behind the resort that leads to a new 100-space parking deck and a separate entrance that provides quick and convenient access to the new wing.‚ Just inside the entrance is an elevator with direct access to The Meadows.
The Meadows is also set to undergo a major and complete renovation and upgrade later this month.
The Executive Conference Center will cater to high-end meetings, retreats and conferences, with each of the new rooms featuring the very latest in state-of-the-art technology, high-end furniture and first-class meeting amenities.
The beautiful artwork that adorns the new wing was purchased from local Kingsport artists.
The meeting facilities have the latest technology features in an upscale environment with luxurious interior space, King added.‚ The second floor ballroom will be the premier venue for any social event with breathtaking views of the Cattails Golf Course.‚ The new building also enhances the Meadows Restaurant and the parking deck will allow customers direct access for breakfast, lunch or dinner.‚
‚ MeadowView has been a hugely successful resort and this new Executive Conference Center addition will take MeadowView to an even greater level of success,‚ Kingsport Chamber President & CEO Miles Burdine said.‚ MeadowView continues to surpass all expectations and the community is very excited about what the new wing will mean to Kingsport.
The new Executive Conference Center is magnificent, Kingsport Convention & Vistiors Bureau Executive Director Jud Teague said.‚ The additional space sets the stage for Kingsport to be the regional leader for meetings and conferences.
Marriott is very proud to open this magnificent new facility that what is truly unlike any other facility in our region, King added.‚
In 2008, MeadowView and Eastman Chemical Company completed a $15 million expansion and renovation of the hotel portion of the resort.
The hotel expansion and renovation added 110 new guest rooms, ten of which are executive king rooms, and the complete renovation of all existing 195 guest rooms, which included all new furniture, paint, carpet and wallpaper, the latest technology enhancements and new 37-inch flat screen televisions in each room.
MeadowView now features 305 guest rooms, enabling the resort to substantially increase business by more than 33 percent and pouring an additional $7 million a year in revenue into the Kingsport economy.
In addition to being a huge source of revenue for Kingsport, MeadowView has also been the catalyst for major developments around its property.
Since MeadowView opened in 1996, the surrounding property has witnessed incredible growth, with more than $88 million in private investment construction projects, including the headquarters of Eastman Credit Union and Wellmont CVA Heart Institute, a Holston Medical Group medical facility, and the Katherine Square and Sheridan Square business and medical complexes, among many other hotels, restaurants and businesses.
Property values in the MeadowView area have soared from $2.7 million three years before MeadowView opened to more than $88 million just last year.
From 1998 to 2008, property value in the MeadowView area skyrocketed 289 percent from $22.6 million to $88.2 million.
In total, MeadowView makes an annual economic impact of more than $25 million on Kingsport.
MeadowView also continues to garner global awards and remains the Number One Marriott in the World for customer intent to return and one of the top Marriotts in the world for its superb guest satisfaction and excellent customer service.
MeadowView was selected recently by the readers of Meetings South magazine as a Best of the South property in the Southern United States, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands.‚
Just last year, the MeadowView Marriott was once again recognized by guests as the number one Marriott in the world in terms of Overall Customer Satisfaction, number one in Quality of Food, number one in In-Room Dining and Room Service, number one in Guest Intent to Return to the Hotel and number one in Room Cleanliness, and Best in Class in guest satisfaction, solving problems, spirit to serve/service and bard quality.
MeadowView has also won the Top Hotel Operations of Excellence Award from Steritch International, marking the third time in four years the resort has garnered the honor and making MeadowView the only Marriott property to have ever won the award more than once.
Nestled in the rolling barthills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center provides a magnificent resort setting, plus state-of-the-art conference facilities, to accommodate all corporate meeting needs. MeadowViews luxurious accommodations offer guests well-appointed guest rooms featuring upgraded bedding and ergonomic work areas.‚
In addition to scenic grounds and a convenient central location, this award-winning, smoke-free resort in Kingsport offers full-service conference resort amenities, nearly 100,000-square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, a modern fitness center, business center and numerous dining options including the three meal Meadows restaurant, the Courtyard Lounge and the Courtyard Cafĩ featuring Starbucks⨠and the Cattails at MeadowView championship golf course.
A unique and productive partnership between the city of Kingsport and Eastman Chemical Company, the MeadowView Marriott is located just off Interstate 26 in Kingsport, just 90 miles from Knoxville, Tenn., and Asheville, N.C.
For more information on the MeadowView Marriott expansion and renovation project, call MeadowView Marriott General Manager Andy King at 423-578-6540.
For more information about the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center, call 423-578-6600 or visit meadowviewresort.com.
The Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit business organization comprised of nearly 1,000 members.‚ The Kingsport Chambers mission is to utilize resources and focus efforts on enhancing a strong and viable business environment for the Kingsport area.
For more information on the Kingsport Chamber, go to KingsportChamber.org or call (423) 392-8800.‚ Were social too; follow us on our Facebook page, Your Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce, and on our Twitter account, @kptchamber.
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Bob Feagins
Executive Director of Communications & Development
Kingsport Tennessee Area Chamber of Commerce
423-392-8800
