brett testa
Savannah, Georgia: Linking the Past to the Future
Brett Testa | March 21, 2024
By Brett Testa Savannah, Georgia, is one of the oldest cities in the country and is the oldest city in the state of Georgia; it was also the state’s first capital. Given this rich history, the city boasts the country’s largest contiguous historic district, which has been integral to the success of Savannah’s hotels and restaurants since its inception in 1955. River Street, which winds along the Savannah River, has undergone explosive commercial and tourism development over the last decade; there are now 57 hotels and inns within the one-mile Savannah Historic Landmark District, and five more are in varying stages of completion. O...
Outpacing and Evolving: Metro Atlanta Hotel Supply Growth
Courtney Vris | March 19, 2024
By Courtney Vris, Brett Testa According to Lodging Econometrics’ Q4 2023 US Construction Pipeline report, Atlanta ranked second nationally in the number of hotel openings in 2023, third in the number of hotels actively under construction, and second in the number of projects in the pipeline. Below, we provide an overview of the market’s hotel demand and its notable new supply, both recently opened and on the horizon. Metro Atlanta comprises the city of Atlanta and eleven surrounding counties, with a vast network of submarkets that include the following: The CBD, home to the Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadi...
Birmingham Hotel Market: Setting Up to Knock It Out of the Park
Brett Testa | June 26, 2023
By Brett Testa The Magic City, so named because its soil contains the three elements needed to produce iron, was able to steel itself against long-term hospitality demand loss in 2020 better than many hotel markets across the U.S. The city’s proximity to outdoor demand generators, its rapidly growing sports entertainment industry, and the dedicated work of local municipal offices and aid organizations were all important factors that supported the swift recovery of Birmingham hotels. 2020 in the Magic City As listed below, various factors efforts contributed to Birmingham hotels’ ability to stay operational and retain their staff in 2...
HVS Market Pulse – Recent Lodging Trends and Outlook for Atlanta, Georgia
Brett Testa | January 3, 2023
By Brett Testa Pre-Pandemic Atlanta’s rise in reputation as the event and convention hub of the southeast, a vision first ignited by the hosting of the 1996 Olympics, reached a zenith in 2019 with the hosting of Super Bowl LIII, marking Atlanta’s second time hosting the Super Bowl in the last 20 years. The data below, provided by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, illustrate the steady growth in visitors to the city and their spending in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. The August 2017 opening of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which hosts games for both the Atlanta Falcons football team and the Atlanta Unite...
