Starting Jan. 1, 2017, the DoubleTree by Hilton in Reading, Pa., will be under new management.
PM Hotel Group, based out of Washington, D.C., will hand over operation of the hotel to Al Boscov and Reading Hospitality Management. Hotel employees are the recipient of additional benefits as part of the switch, with them now being eligible for Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans, dropping the costs for their individual and family health insurance plans by as much as 80 percent.
The hotel's GM, Craig Poole, said in a statement that the switch in management companies was done in part to choose an operator located closer to the property's physical location, and choose another company rooted more in the community.
"The purpose of the building was to change lives and make this a happier city, to change their health how and we feed them, and to give them better benefits, Poole said in a statement. "A lot of people here have never been fortunate enough to have that. This gives us the ability to give it to them, and it's a big deal. We are very thankful Hilton gave us this opportunity. There are not many that have that privilege."
The $67-million DoubleTree opeend December 2015 following two years of construction. The 209-room, nine-story building is located adjacent to a 900-car parking garage operated by the Reading Parking Authority.