The Hilton Hotels & Resorts announces the official grand opening of Hilton Columbus Downtown, poised to be a top destination in the heart of the city today. The 532-room property is located at 401 North High Street, conveniently positioned in the centre of the city’s most admired neighbourhoods, including the Short North Arts District and the Arena District.

“Today is a significant milestone in the longstanding relationship between Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the City of Columbus and our distinguished business partners involved in this monumental project,” said Major Michael B. Coleman. “Hilton Columbus Downtown will attract millions of new visitors and make Columbus a best-in-class destination for national conventions and events.”

The $140-million convention centre hotel features a large atrium in the lobby with skylights to give an indoor-outdoor feel. As part of the Hilton brand’s commitment to sustainability, the property is designed to attain both LEED and Green Seal Certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Hilton Hotels & Resorts values its partnership with the City of Columbus and Franklin County,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “This area is a growing centre of tourism and events in Central Ohio. The opening of Hilton Columbus Downtown is an important and exciting addition to the Hilton family of properties.”

The hotel includes 48 suites and 31,000-square-feet of meeting and banquet space connected by a pedestrian skybridge to the 1.7 million- square-feet of meeting space in the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The 380,000-pound skybridge stretches across North High Street and is designed with a glass walking surface.

“The new, full-service convention hotel significantly enhances our convention package and allows Columbus to compete for a larger share of the state, regional and national convention, meeting and tradeshow market and sporting events,” said Brian Ross, vice president of sales, Experience Columbus.

“We are thrilled about the opening of Hilton Columbus Downtown in the heart of Columbus, Ohio’s dynamic capital city,” said Bill Jennison, executive director, Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority. “The hospitality industry represents 60,000 jobs in Franklin County and has a considerable economic impact that we want to continue to grow year after year. The on-time and on-budget completion of Hilton Columbus Downtown will help us do just that.”

“The opening of this grand hotel puts more Franklin County residents to work and exemplifies the public-private partnerships we have invested in to create new jobs and economic opportunity,” said Franklin County Commissioner President Paula Brooks. “Having this hotel in our community’s portfolio adds to our vital tourism industry, which already brings in more than $7.2 billion annually to our county and reduces the tax burden of every Franklin County family by an average of $1,900.”

Hilton Columbus Downtown celebrates the diversity of talent, imagination and soul of the local community. The rich history of the Columbus arts community is the focal point of the hotel, which features a collection of more than 225 original art pieces as well as paintings, sculpture and photographs from more than 128 local artists. The art is displayed throughout the property and on the ceilings in each guest room, including Sue Cavanuagh’s piece titled, “Ori-kume #17.” Alice Schille’s piece titled, “Sea and Tidle River,” which adorns one of the Deluxe suites is a reproduction of the original found in the Columbus Museum of Art. Guests also will notice the beautiful original oil painting titled, “Landscape,” by Rick Akers as they enter the fourth floor elevator lobby as well as additional artwork by talented artists such as Donald Roberts, Aminah Robinson and many more displayed throughout the 13 floors in Hilton Columbus Downtown.

“Situated in the centre of the arts, entertainment, and business districts, Hilton Columbus Downtown reflects the creative spirit and energy of Ohio’s capital city,” said Christian Coffin, general manager, Hilton Columbus Downtown. “The property features a sleek and contemporary look, and offers the perfect combination of comfort, convenience and affordability, setting the tone for guests’ and visitors’ expectations.”

Bill Glover, executive chef, heads up a full-service dining facility that stands out among the hotels and restaurants in the area. The Gallerie Bar & Bistro, a French bistro-inspired restaurant, celebrates the bounty of Ohio agriculture by incorporating fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and products in both the food and beverage offerings to create a one-of-a-kind culinary experience for guests and visitors.