BUFFALO, N.Y., and TITUSVILLE, Fla. – (March 21, 2019) – Delaware North today announced that it will develop and operate a new Courtyard by Marriott hotel on the former site of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® in Titusville, Fla.
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The five-floor, 152-room hotel will include 14 extended and one-bedroom guest suites, a large outdoor pool and a rooftop deck with bar for an elevated evening experience and for viewing the increasingly frequent rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The hotel’s Bistro will serve full breakfast and dinner menus and feature Starbucks® products. The property will also have 800 square feet of meeting space for conferences and special events.
The hotel will be located 6.4 miles from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – which Delaware North operates for NASA – making it the closest hotel to the popular attraction and to Kennedy Space Center’s launch complexes.
“The increased interest and activity in our country’s space program makes this the ideal time to open a new, family-friendly hotel near Kennedy Space Center and the visitor complex,” said Scott Socha, president of Delaware North’s parks and resorts division. “Delaware North is proud to partner with Marriott to provide Space Coast visitors a level of convenience and comfort that will allow them to prolong their stay at the visitor complex and experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a front-row seat to a rocket launch,” Socha said.
Courtyard by Marriott is the 8th largest lodging brand in the world, with over 1,100 hotels in 47 countries.
Groundbreaking for the new Courtyard by Marriott is expected to take place this summer, with an opening planned for fall 2020. The project is expected to create about 50 construction jobs and 35 permanent part- and full-time jobs.
“With the proposed hotel project and investment, Delaware North is eager to demonstrate its commitment to the Titusville community and excited at the prospect of further contributing and supporting the Space Coast’s overall economic growth,” Socha said. “I want to thank the City of Titusville, including the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission, for allowing us to proceed with the project.”
The hotel site, located on Vectorspace Boulevard off of State Route 405, is on the Indian River, which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum is located nearby, and the site is easily accessible from Interstate 95 (I-95) and is only a quarter mile from the U.S. Route 1 (US-1) interchange with SR-405. The site is about 40 miles from Orlando International Airport.
The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® was relocated to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in 2016, and Delaware North purchased the land in 2017. In addition to developing the hotel at the site, Delaware North is reviewing plans for utilization of the former hall of fame building.
The hotel will be the first in Florida for Delaware North, which operates 35 lodging properties across the United States and Australia. Among them is another hotel under a Marriott flag, The Westin Buffalo at Delaware North’s global headquarters.
“Delaware North has a reputation for outstanding hospitality management, so we are excited to showcase our lodging expertise and bring an exceptional experience to travelers to the Space Coast,” Socha said.
In addition to operating all aspects of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, including two retail shops at Orlando International Airport, Delaware North operates food and beverage services at locations across Florida, including at Tampa International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Amalie Arena (home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning), TIAA Bank Field (NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars) two spring training/minor league baseball parks and several restaurants in Disney Springs and Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center in Orlando via Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group.
About Courtyard by Marriott
Courtyard is the hotel brand of choice for ambitious and enterprising guests who see business travel as a driver of personal fulfillment and professional growth. Courtyard provides opportunities for guests to pursue both their personal and professional passions on the road. With more than 1,100 locations in over 50 countries and territories, Courtyard is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the new name of Marriott’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz- Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG). The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com. For more information or reservations, visit courtyard.marriott.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @CourtyardHotels on Twitter and Instagram.
About Delaware North's Parks and Resorts Business
Delaware North Parks and Resorts is a global leader in the hospitality industry, operating lodging, food and beverage and retail services, recreational activities, and educational programming at destinations throughout North America and Australia. Delaware North operates in many of the United States’ iconic national and state parks, including Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Niagara Falls State Park, as well as at cultural attractions such as Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. To learn more about Delaware North’s hospitality management expertise, visit http://www.delawarenorth.com/parks-and-resorts-home.aspx.
About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our 55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually. Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has annual revenue of about $3 billion. Learn more about Delaware North at www.DelawareNorth.com.