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Hostmark Hospitality Group Entrusted to Take The Queen Mary into a New Era
11/07/2007
Long Beach, CA, November 7, 2007 - Management of the iconic Queen Mary will turn over today to Schaumburg, IL based Hostmark Hospitality Group. The change will take place after Save the Queen, a local group of investors headed by Jeff Kline, officially assumes the lease of The Queen Mary along with the rights to develop the 45 acres surrounding the ship.
"Our first objective will be to provide stability to the 550 employees of The Queen Mary and to facilitate the restoration of The Queen Mary as a world destination for the community of Long Beach," states Robert J. Cataldo, President and COO of Hostmark Hospitality Group. "Our second will be to facilitate the capital projects to be completed over the next eighteen months to address neglected areas of the ship that impact the guest experience or modern necessities that the staff needs to perform their roles," says Cataldo. Improvements to The Queen Mary will include new systems for the entire operation including parking. The re-design and enhancement of guest impact areas will revitalize public space, arrival platforms, corridors and most importantly, guest rooms. Additional improvements to back-of-the-ship systems and mechanics will also assist in returning The Queen to its proper position and status.
The Queen Mary is celebrating the 40th anniversary of her arrival to the port of Long Beach, remaining docked and permanently afloat since December 9, 1967. "Our role in the history of this phenomenal vessel is to preserve its grandeur and identity while improving the guest experience and profitability," says Cataldo. "Our vision is to continue to develop The Queen Mary and deliver the experience that is historically synonymous with The Queen Mary as an iconic fixture in Southern California tourism, as well as to continue to build strong relationships with the community of Long Beach and the valuable employees of the ship," says Cataldo.
The ship is ringing in her 40th as 'a place to celebrate!' The Queen Mary has many diverse entertainment options which include limited-run shows, fine art exhibitions, fine dining as well as casual cuisine, its own wedding chapel (where over 40 couples exchange vows monthly). The Queen Mary also appeals to a widely varied audience by offering concerts, festivals and paranormal tours of the fabled haunted ship.
The Queen Mary offers more than 80,000 square feet of function space in 14 remarkable Art Deco salons, each uniquely decorated with warm wood paneling, highlighted by original paintings and larger-than-life murals. The tri-level Exhibit Hall includes an additional 45,000 square feet of versatile function space. Whether it's a group of 10 or a gathering of 2,000, the historic ocean liner offers many unique settings for unforgettable events. To plan your visit to The Queen Mary call 562-435-3511 or access information online at (www.queenmary.com).
Hostmark Hospitality Group (www.hostmark.com) is a leading hospitality management firm operating upscale full-service hotels, resorts and focused service hotels worldwide. Hostmark Hospitality Group is an award winning operator of Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Starwood and Wyndham Hotels. Under consistent leadership spanning 35 years, Hostmark Hospitality Group has launched its own conceptual brand Amalfi (www.amalfihotelchicago.com), as well as other luxury independent hotels and resorts. Hostmark Hospitality Group has a proven long-standing reputation for performance-driven results through superior operating and asset management.
Contact:
Brian Tkac, Vice President
847.517.9100
btkac@hostmark.com
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