NEW YORK (March 23, 2015) – The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel has unveiled a completely new Lower Level meetings space, an enhanced 11,000 sq. ft. space that provides boutique-style, personalized services and catering options to smaller-sized groups and executive meetings from 10-150 attendees. The Lower Level space was formally known as the Executive Conference Center and will be re-named this spring after the hotel hosts a national naming contest for meeting planners.
“With a dedicated events team of experts specializing in smaller-sized meetings, our new Lower Lobby meeting space offers groups the types of services typically only found at boutique-style hotels,” said Terry Lewis, General Manager of the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel. “Meeting planners and event clients are already enjoying the many ways that our highly-focused team is providing these services.”
A $2.2 Million Refresh
The new Lower Level features a $2.2 million soft goods renovation to public spaces, the entry lounge and 13 meeting rooms. The new space incorporates a clean design scheme with an emphasis on warm tones and geometric patterns. Renovation additions include new carpet, lighting, wall coverings, electronic reader boards and a state of the art custom boardroom table, pre-wired to meet advanced AV needs. In addition, all restrooms were fully upgraded. The renovations incorporate the overall design aesthetic of the hotel, offering guests a sense of place from the movement invoked in carpet patterns and fixtures, to artwork featuring New York landmarks.
New, Boutique-Style Services
The Lower Lobby conference space now boasts a dedicated events team that specializes in smaller meetings, a distinct service element typically reserved only at smaller hotels. With expertise in understanding the needs of smaller meetings up to 150 attendees, the Event Managers and Conference Services staff is dedicated specifically to guests hosting events in the Lower Lobby space. The Lower Level conference space features a 52nd Street entrance separate from the hotel lobby, providing event and meeting attendees with a streamlined arrival experience.
From Murray’s Cheese to Meeting Rooms, A Focus on New York
The events team at the Sheraton New York Times Square partners with the hotel’s exemplary culinary team to present options from New York City’s finest and most iconic food purveyors. The hotel sources foods from Murray’s Cheese, Zabar’s, Artisanal, Vegan Divas Bakery, Esposito and Sons, Salumeria Biellese, Beth’s Farm Preserves and other vendors known for their local New York offerings.
“New York City has some of the best and most iconic artisanal food providers in the world and by partnering with local vendors, we offer a local experience of the best cheese, bread, produce and food products that the New York area has to offer,” said Executive Chef Joseph Fontanals.
The historic hotel’s 50-year history as an icon in the Times Square area is highlighted as the renamed meeting rooms pay homage to New York City. Named after famed Manhattan neighborhoods, breakout rooms include Bryant Park, Columbus Circle, Madison Square, Bowery, Gramercy, Flatiron, Broadway, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, Sutton Place, Union Square, Sugar Hill and Chelsea.
Contest to Rename Meeting Space Launches March 20
The Lower Lobby space, formerly known as the Executive Conference Center, will be renamed in May after a nationwide contest beginning on March 20, 2015. Meeting planners are invited to submit a new name for the Executive Conference Center, for the chance to win 50,000 Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Starpoints or a donation to the charity of their choice. Submissions must be received by midnight EDT on April 30, 2015 and emailed to nymetromarketleads@starwoodhotels.com. Maximum of one entry per person and the charity selection must be approved by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
A Complement to Overall Meeting Offerings
The total meeting space at the hotel includes 43 meeting rooms, the 13,768-square-foot Metropolitan Ballroom which hosts up to 2,500 guests and the 8,715-square-foot New York Ballroom which holds 1,200 guests. The total meetings facilities offer 35,000 square feet of event and pre-function space. All meeting spaces at the Sheraton New York Times Square feature digital signage outside meeting rooms and in public spaces – with the ability to stream customized messages and live news – as well as client-controlled individual digital panels to customize lighting and temperature in each room.
In addition to the newly unveiled meetings space, the Sheraton New York Times Square offers many sought-after amenities for meetings, groups and business travelers, such as a luxurious Club Lounge with breathtaking views of New York City, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a central location in Times Square. For more details about meetings at the Sheraton New York Times Square, go to www.SheratonNewYork.com, dial the hotel at 212-581-1000 or call 888-627-7067.
