The new AC Hotel by Marriott continues to rise in downtown Ocala. On March 23, the hotel’s developers joined with government and business leaders for a shovel ceremony to celebrate the project’s progress and look forward to the future opening, currently set for December.
The 186-room hotel is on the south side of Silver Springs Boulevard and sits between Southwest Second and Southwest Third avenues, just east of Pine Avenue. It will be the biggest AC Marriott in Florida, topping one in Miami.
Doug Cone, part of the development group, told the group assembled on March 23 that the hotel will be “the jewel of downtown.” Another partner, Navroz Saju, said the hotel will be “truly catalytic.”
Among those in attendance for the March 23 “shovel ceremony” was Tim Sponsler, the vice president of lodging development for Florida for Marriott International. He predicted the hotel will be a downtown game changer.
On the south side of the hotel stands the city of Ocala’s new parking garage, which also is in the construction phase. The March 23 ceremony was held on a closed-off portion of Broadway Street, between the two towering buildings.
To see a video from the ceremony, click on this story at ocala.com
jross@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: AC Hotel by Marriott in downtown Ocala marks a milestone; when will it open?
Reporting by Jim Ross, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
