There is a hotel already attached to the convention center via a skywalk to the north (the former Crowne Plaza Dayton), but the building is vacant.
That hotel shut down about two years ago. The owners have said they want to renovate the property and use it as a hotel again, but it’s unclear if that proposal has made any progress.
According to the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority, a headquarter hotel is typically “a hotel chosen as the primary lodging location for attendees of a large event, such as a conference, convention, or major gathering. It’s often strategically selected for its proximity to the event venue, amenities, and capacity to accommodate a significant number of guests.”
The proposed headquarter hotel would be on South Jefferson Street, south of East Fifth Street, next to the massive Oregon District parking garage.
The Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority Board of Directors decided to select Concord Hospitality after issuing a request for qualifications seeking potential hotel development partners.
“Concord Hospitality brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and long-standing, successful partnerships with public entities, in addition to building hotels for a variety of nationally recognized hotel brands,” said Pam Pam Plageman, CEO and executive director of the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority.
Concord Hospitality operates about 11 hotels in Ohio, including the Marriott at the University of Dayton, which it co-owns with the University of Dayton. Concord has hotels in about two dozen states.
Concord Hospitality says it is a preferred partner of leading hotel brands such as Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. The company was formed in 1985.
In a prepared statement, Concord Hospitality’s executive vice president of development Carl Hren said, “Concord is excited to begin this process, and we look forward to contributing to the continued growth and enhancement of the Dayton Convention Center experience.”
The Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority said it will enter into contract negotiations with Concord Hospitality within the next three months to come to terms on financing, project schedule, concept design and other details.
Convention center leadership has said the new headquarter hotel could cost $60 million to $80 million. The goal is create about 200 new hotel rooms at the property.
Tourism officials hope that a high-quality new hotel and the renovation of the convention center will help the center attract more conventions, meetings and other kinds of events.
“The collaboration with Concord Hospitality on the development of a convention-focused hotel marks a significant step forward in our efforts to attract more convention business to both the Dayton Convention Center and the broader region,” said Jacquelyn Powell, president and CEO of Destination Dayton, which formerly was the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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