News + Ideas

In 1980, the United Nations established September 27th as World Tourism Day. The purpose is to foster awareness of the impact tourism has globally. In recent years, the event has also called for increased attention to sustainability within the tourism sector. The date of September 27th is significant because it is the anniversary of the adoption of the original UNWTO Statutes. It also interestingly falls at the end of the tourism high season in the northern hemisphere and the beginning of tourism season in the southern hemisphere.

Hospitality is one of MGAC’s core markets. Our hospitality work has surpassed the $1B mark over time. Our team has led the renovation or ground up build of over 100 hotel projects in the past five years alone. Some of the globe’s most reputable hotel developers have enlisted our support in bringing their vision to life. We relish the opportunity to produce projects that endure and stand the test of time.

Today, in honor of World Tourism Day, we’d like to spotlight a few of our hospitality projects.

Hilton Washington DC National Mall

Close to our DC headquarters, we have been hard at work managing the renovation of the Hilton Washington DC National Mall hotel in L’Enfant Plaza. The iconic 367- room hotel first opened in 1973 and was originally named the L’Enfant Hotel. Like the plaza itself, the hotel is named after Pierre Charles L’Enfant, Washington’s first city planner known for developing the federal territory that would become the District of Columbia. Still today, plaza visitors can see the inscribed title of the original L’Enfant Plan with L’Enfant’s name. Beyond its unique tie to our nation’s history, the hotel is just steps away from many of the District’s museums and popular destinations. The hotel reopened to guests in April 2019 with new modern finishes, advanced technological updates to the guestrooms, and state of the art public and meeting spaces. As a newly branded Hilton, MGAC was also involved in the franchise agreement negotiations and administered the approval process.

5th & Stewart Hotel & Residences

On the west coast, we provide project management for the 5th & Stewart Hotel & Residences. The mixed-use, 52-story Seattle property will include 257 guestrooms, 201 residential units, and 1,900 SF of retail. The hotel space will include restaurants and a rooftop bar overlooking Puget Sound. MGAC’s project team is currently managing the entitlement process, coordinating with the city and surrounding neighbors to garner community support while hiring, and managing a diverse team of project consultants.

Ritz Carlton Zadún

South of the border, we are serving as the acceptance project manager for the Zadún, a Ritz Carlton Reserve property in San Jose Del Cabo which is slated to open in late 2019. Once open, this will be Ritz Carlton’s fourth Ritz Carlton Reserve property which features secluded and largely untouched destinations. The oceanfront property, which offers sweeping views of the Sea of Cortez, will open with 115 suites and villas along the natural slopes of the land. Each guest space will be outfitted with high luxury features and amenities to place guests in an awe-inspiring natural setting while still offering unrivaled luxury and hospitality at every turn.