Irving's New Convention Hotel Is Almost Ready for Check in

Construction crews are still the only "guests" at Irving's new convention hotel.But the workers will be checking out soon."We are going to have guests in here at the end of next month," said Stephen Galbreath, chief development officer with general contractor Garfield Public Private. "We've been working on this project for more than two years and are excited it's almost done."It's going to be a real game changer for the Irving convention center."The Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas Hotel, the missing link between Irving's convention center and the nearby Toyota Music Factory entertainment and restaurant venue, is set to open at the end of March.The $113 million, 350-room hotel is a high-profile addition to the commercial neighborhood along State Highway 114. The 13-story hotel tower was designed by Dallas architect BOKA Powell with interiors by Waldrop + Nichols Studio.The new hotel — which itself has almost 20,000 square feet of meeting space — is 78 steps from the entrance to the convention center.The Westin plans to draw from general business travelers and Irving convention visitors who don't want the hassle of a long commute, said general manager Todd Winch."When you are at one of these shows, you don't want to get in a car and drive to your hotel someplace else," Winch said.The Westin has a huge outdoor patio bar and dining space facing the convention center. Inside, the ground floor restaurant has a modern Mexican vibe with wood and metal finishes. There's also a bar and bistro on the upper level swimming pool deck with views toward downtown Dallas.  Continue reading...