LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A downtown tower is being turned into a high-rise luxury hotel.
According to our partners at Louisville Business First, Indianapolis-based Ghoman Group is planning a JW Marriott hotel in the 26-story 401 S. 4th Street Tower, formerly the Brown & Williamson Tower.
The luxury hotel near the city's central entertainment district will feature 418 guest rooms, flexible meeting and event space and ballroom, according to a release on the developer's website. The hotel will also include five restaurant spaces, a rooftop bar and 954 square feet of retail space.
There is no estimate on the cost of renovations, but construction is expected to begin "soon." An opening date will be some time in 2027.
Louisville tourism officials have blamed the lack of conventions of a lack of hotel rooms. Business First said, with 418 rooms, the JW Marriott would be the sixth-largest hotel in Greater Louisville.
Indianapolis developer KennMar bought 401 S. 4th Street in April 2023 for $9 million, but the tower has been losing tenants including its major anchor, Fifth Third Bank. It had announced plans for a major renovation to the building that never happened including upgrades to its lobby, a coffee shop and exterior patio.
The plan for the JW Marriott luxury hotel is big news for downtown, which as several big office towers struggle since the 2019 pandemic. Meidinger Tower on Fourth Street is for sale after defaulting on a $28 million loan, but the iconic Humana Building on South Fifth Street is reportedly being considered for a 1,000 room hotel, according to Louisville Business First sources.
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