August 19, 2019. Portland, ME. Olympia Hotel Management (OHM) is proud to announce that developer Harman Realty, Inc. of Harrisonburg, Virginia has chosen OHM to manage the new Hyatt Place Harrisonburg. The hotel broke ground on August 2 and is expected to open in September 2020. The general contractor is Harman Construction, Inc.
The city of Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University (JMU), a public research university, and a visitor gateway to nearby Shenandoah National Park. It was rated the “#6 Favorite Town in America” by Travel + Leisure in 2016.
Hyatt Place Harrisonburg will be the city’s newest and most contemporary hotel, conveniently located near Harrisonburg Crossing, the JMU campus and the new convocation center, which is under construction and will add greatly to the area as a convention and concert venue. Hyatt Place Harrisonburg will be the first new select service hotel in the area in several years, and will feature 120 spacious guestrooms, 3,000 square feet of meeting space, ample outdoor seating and 80 seats in the indoor/outdoor panoramic rooftop bar that promises to become a dynamic gathering space for the city.
“We’re really excited that Harman Realty has selected us as their operations partner,” said John Schultzel, Chief Growth Officer for Olympia. “Our track record with Hyatt, our depth in college markets, our experience with rooftop bars, and our best-in-class reputation were all part of their selection rationale. Operating a distinctive select service hotel in a campus community is our favorite kind of work.”
Olympia currently manages five Hyatt-branded properties, including Hyatt Place Chicago-South University Medical Center; Hyatt Place and Hyatt House East Moline/Quad Cities in Moline, IL; Hyatt House Mt Pleasant-Midtown in SC; and Hyatt Place Cleveland/Westlake/Crocker Park in OH. Olympia won Hyatt’s Operating Excellence Award in 2016.
“I have been very impressed with John and the entire team at Olympia,” said Randy L. Harman, CEO for Innovation Hospitality and Harman Realty, Inc. “Their knowledge and professionalism has been very helpful, their hotel staff have been very informative, and their hotel management expertise leave me very confident that they are the right management company to lead our investment into the Harrisonburg market place.”
“As we continue to pursue thoughtful growth, we are focused on working alongside owners and developers who share similar core values and a mutual dedication to excellence,” said Jim Tierney, senior vice president of development and owner relations, Hyatt. “Our relationship with Olympia Hotel Management has grown significantly over the years, and we look forward to working with this exceptional organization as we continue to grow our portfolio of Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels.”
