New Airport Hyatt Taking Shape; Joint Project With Poarch Creeks

August 13, 2012

A “topping out” was held recently for a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport, a partnership between the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore and Innisfree Hotels.

Construction on the $24 million development started back in January. During the topping out ceremony — held when the hotel reached its highest point — the crew hoisted a beam signed by everyone that has worked on the project to the top of six story building.

The 127-room hotel is still on track to open in March 2013.

The hotel development is projected to generate over $420,000 annually in non-airline revenue for the airport through lease fees, and $100,000 in local option sales taxes for the City of Pensacola. It will also create over $4 million in payroll revenues through the addition of about 235 new jobs to the local economy.

The land for the development is being leased from the City of Pensacola and will be connected to the main airport terminal via a covered walkway.

Innisfree currently owns and operates six full service hotels and resorts in the Gulf Coast region of Florida and Alabama as well as four focused service properties in the southeast United States. In addition to the Windcreek Casino in Atmore, the Poarch Creek Indians operate several other properties, including the Pensacola Dog Track and Poker Room.

Pictured top: Progress on a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport. Pictured below: An artist conception of the hotel (from a different angle than the photo). NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

13 Responses to “New Airport Hyatt Taking Shape; Joint Project With Poarch Creeks”

  1. Rick on August 14th, 2012 10:19 am

    All this talk of International status and 747’s versus 757’s is fascinating. What caught my eye is the 235 new jobs being created by the building of a six- floor hotel. The “biggest-in-the-United States” crude oil transfer station in Jay only hired 15, with plans for another 15 in the future. Maybe I’m missing something here, but 235 jobs in a single medium sized hotel seems like the big deal to me. Regardless of what we call the airport or how much the planes weigh that land on it.

  2. Gene on August 13th, 2012 10:37 pm

    The 747 is on its way out..With the exception of the Boeing 747-800.
    There are many aircraft flying with only two engines that are capable of flying transatlantic & transpacific flights.
    You can safely fly the 757,767,777 over many miles.
    You can safely flying from Johannesburg to Atlanta & Dubai to Los Angeles on two engines. **Google ETOPS..**
    Need I remind you Sun Country flew a DC-10 from Minneapolis into Pensacola not to long ago using the 7,000 ft runway..
    Plus UPS currently flies the A300 capable of international service..
    The economic impact this airport provides to the region generates over 5,772 jobs and produces an annual direct and indirect impact of over $565 million. It’s better to support the airport then to criticize it.
    Oh and Airtran is phasing out their Boeing 717s (Selling them all to Delta) – once this happens Southwest/Airtran will bring in the 737s..So please stop asking :)

  3. 429SCJ on August 13th, 2012 3:26 pm

    Delta currently operates 22 747s, United 24, Omega Air 1, Logistic Air 1. In the rest of the world there are 340 747s in service with other carriers and organizations. I almost forgot the two parked up at Andrews AFB Maryland.

    I would not feel comfortable crossing the pond with only two engines as featured on the 757. The 757 with a range of 4100 NM is really only suited for transatlantic flights as opposed to the 747 with a range of around 7500 NM, which has the clear advantage especially in flights to the Pacific theater of operations.

    All of this is trivia though, as no international flights are comming out of Pensacola.
    The reality is as stated by earlier posters this is just a lofty monniker to make Pensacola seem more than it is. Build the runway 10,000ft plus, and reinforce the tarmac and maybe customs and customers will come, maybe not? In the end its only junk bonds anyway.

  4. Bill on August 13th, 2012 12:58 pm

    @429SCJ, Few U.S. airlines even fly the 747, most use smaller planes which could easily fly in PNS…

  5. Gene on August 13th, 2012 12:41 pm

    People need to calm down about the renaming of the Pensacola Airport.
    Pensacola (PNS) does have customs with advance notice.
    Pensacola (PNS) is a Foreign Trade Zone/Port of Entry.
    There are many airports worldwide with an international name without international service.
    The remaining is part of the rebranding of the airport — to attract business, customers.
    I’m sure the airport can support international flights — perhaps a few charters to Mexico..

  6. Bill on August 13th, 2012 12:28 pm

    Places all over use the “international” logo. Pensacola isn’t the only airport around that doesn’t have international. Why make such a big deal?

  7. pmad on August 13th, 2012 10:21 am

    the whole international airport idea is a sham. It was renamed primarily to attract business investment. Pensacola does have some of the capabilities of international flights, but not all–for instance, we don’t have the proper customs offices and setup.

    The hotel and business complex idea is separate, and was on undeveloped land on the Airport Blvd side of the road. Lease fees are acceptable, and I guess this will help various commuters and visitors with convenience.

  8. 429SCJ on August 13th, 2012 9:26 am

    At around 140,000LBS the Boeing 757 is a little bit less heavy as opposed to the 380,000LBS of the Boeing 747.

    I do not feel that the Pensacola International has the facilities or demand to support international flight operations, but thats just my opinion?

  9. hank on August 13th, 2012 8:58 am

    The “Pensacola International Airport” doesnt even have any international flights

  10. 32514gator on August 13th, 2012 8:28 am

    JAmesD: I agree with you exactly, can someone explain why an Airport changes it name to International when their are no International Flights, perhaps it for Mayor Hayward’s new Memorial Day week long festivities friends to find.

  11. Bob Smith on August 13th, 2012 8:27 am

    @429SCJ, the runway at Pensacola is capable of supporting larger aircraft. 757s flight out on Delta on a regular basis.

  12. JimD on August 13th, 2012 7:10 am

    Which airlines fly internationally out of Pensacola and to what cities?

  13. 429SCJ on August 13th, 2012 6:12 am

    Our International Airport seems to have all the amenities to support an International Airport except a runway long enough to support heavy aircraft and a tarmac to park them on?

    Should the focuse not be on lenghtening and reinforcing the runway and flightline?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News