The City of Raleigh, N.C. is working with Omni Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with Preston Hollow Community Capital and Provident Resources Group, to develop a convention hotel in downtown Raleigh. The addition to the Raleigh skyline will be built on an over one-acre lot across from the Raleigh Convention Center and Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. The property is expected to open in 2027.
This will be the third Omni property in the state of North Carolina and the first for the capital city. The Omni Raleigh Hotel is anticipated to include 550 guestrooms and 55,000-square-feet of meeting space, which will allow for larger events to take place downtown and support the growth of the Raleigh Convention Center expansion. The hotel will also feature several food and beverage outlets, a rooftop pool, a signature Mokara spa and a fitness center.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the City of Raleigh and Wake County. We’ve been envisioning a new convention center hotel downtown for years. We are now one step closer to making it happen," Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said in a statement. "This opens up endless possibilities for more conferences, more conventions and more events at the Raleigh Convention Center. And the economic benefits cannot be overstated."
“The market has outgrown the available hotel room blocks within walking distance of the Raleigh Convention Center, limiting availability for incoming meetings, conventions and sports groups,” said Kerry Painter, GM and director of The Complex, which manages the Raleigh Convention Center, Red Hat Amphitheater, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, and Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.
Wake County’s Destination Strategic Plan 2028 included a recommendation for a full-service convention hotel with a minimum of 500 rooms to help increase tourism and promote economic development for the area. Plans are also underway for a Raleigh Convention Center expansion. The increase in downtown room inventory will assist in recruiting larger and more frequent conventions to the area.
“We are thrilled to be joining the downtown community in Raleigh and are inspired by its continued economic growth. Omni Hotels & Resorts is committed to providing elevated hospitality experiences which align with this dynamic destination,” Omni Hotels & Resorts President Kurt Alexander said in a statement. “It is an honor to be entrusted by the City of Raleigh to develop and manage this property while forging unique and authentic connections with the local community.”