First Hospitality Group, Inc.’s New Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown Hotel Officially Opens with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Grand Opening Celebration

ROSEMONT, Ill., December 17, 2012  – Rosemont, Ill.-based First Hospitality Group, Inc.’s (FHG) new 127-room Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown hotel, formerly The Loyalty Building, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 11, to commemorate the official opening of the hotel. First Hospitality Group, Inc. President and COO Robert Habeeb made the announcement.

The ribbon cutting took place at 2 p.m. and was attended by local dignitaries, including Mayor Tom Barrett. The hotel opened to the public on Nov. 13.

“The ribbon cutting was a fitting celebration to thank all of the individuals who have been critical to this hotel’s successful opening, including our outstanding team, Mayor Barrett and other individuals who have worked tirelessly to make this hotel a part of the Milwaukee community,” said Habeeb.

The celebration included tours of the guest rooms, meeting space, atrium, the lightwell room, the bar and lobby, and other public spaces. Complimentary food and drinks were served during the night at food stations located throughout all of the public spaces. Food offerings ranged from chocolate and champagne to local Wisconsin meats and cheeses, meat carving stations and more.

In addition, actors and actresses dressed up as famous individuals depicted in the Life Magazine photos displayed throughout the hotel mingled with guests and entertained during the evening. Each guest was also given a box of chocolates from Guth’s End of the Trail Candy Shoppe, a local merchant, as a takeaway from the event.

Speeches were made by a number of notable individuals to honor the occasion, including Stephen L. Schwartz, CEO of First Hospitality Group, Inc., Alderman Robert Baumann, Anna-Marie Opgenorth, executive director of Historic Milwaukee, Inc., and Paul Upchurch, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee.

This celebration of The Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown hotel comes after a nearly one-year transformation from The Loyalty Building, one of the city’s architectural treasures and an original headquarters of Northwestern Mutual Life circa 1886. The historic hotel features 127 well-appointed guestrooms, a 24-hour fitness and business center, complimentary high-speed Internet and 4,500 square feet of meeting and event space. The hotel also offers dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner at The Garden Grille and Bar™, which provides guests with fine dining in a casual, friendly and comfortable setting. It also features a 24-hour Pavilion Pantry convenience mart, which offers last minute sundries, an assortment of beverages, ready-to-cook meals, fresh salads and sandwiches.

First Hospitality Group Inc.’s new 127-room Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown Hotel hosted its Grand Opening celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 11 (photo courtesy of David Bernacchi).

(From left) Mayor Tom Barrett, Stephen L. Schwartz, CEO of First Hospitality Group, and Doug Nysse, Principal at Kahler-Slater, celebrate the hotel’s official opening at the ribbon-cutting ceremony (photo courtesy of David Bernacchi).

First Hospitality Group, Inc.

First Hospitality Group, Inc. is a national, experienced, and established hospitality management, and development company serving the investment and real estate industries.  Since 1985, FHG has been an award-winning pioneer in the hospitality industry.  FHG has successfully developed, marketed and managed over 16 brands and 50 properties throughout the Midwest. Visit www.fhginc.com.

About Hilton Garden Inn

Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, upscale, yet affordable hotel brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have everything they need to be most productive on the road — from our oh-so-comfortable Garden Sleep System® bed to complimentary wired and Wi-Fi Internet access in all guestrooms. So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travelers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while away from home. For more information about our locations around the globe, visit www.hgi.com or call 1-877-STAY-HGI. Connect with Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown at http://www.facebook.com/HGIMilwaukeeDowntown. To view the Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown website go to www.hiltongardeninnmilwaukeedowntown.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Andrea Trapani
248.258.2333
[email protected]