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We can resolve this now. I've seen the plans drafted by the city regarding the Ritz and W...it's all still being negotiated. If for some reason they don't go up (which is unlikely now as the Houston economy is a winner and ripe for them), Houston wouldn't miss a beat. It's as simple as that.

You guys don't get it. The number one city where Dallas' hotel visitors come from is Houston. We demand excellent hotels. The number one city where Houston's visitors come from is Dallas -- they're fine with lesser hotels. case closed

Here is the pic from Friday. Same as I have seen for last couple of months, at least on the main structure. I do know the cranes are moving as they are in different positions from morning time until I get off work.

Soon after Hotel Alessandra gets going. That is a major part of the catalyst that will begin another wave of announcements of transformative developments downtown. A lot of delay centers around parking and the current boom which has driven the price of lots/sites downtown sky high. Most of that should be resolved by the end of the year. So by the end of the year or 1stQ 2015.

http://youtu.be/_Qp9FBl9fuM?t=3m31s Ground breaking Nov 12

Wasn't the Ritz going to BLVD Place prior to the recession? With renderings released and all ? So why now is it so hard to believe that they will come to Houston ? Why could they make the numbers work then but not now ?

Looks like the garage is done and it's all tower going up now

This ^It doesnt make any sense. I dont buy it.

Here is what I hope hapens, the W and Ritz keep ignoring Houston, Houston brings in its own highend brands (already happening) and other highend brands, W and Ritz start to notice and want in so they build something here to top them all. How does Atlanta make 3 Ritz Hotels and 3 W Hotels work? If they can have 6 total, Houston can surely make the numbers work for 1 or 2.

But cities like St. Louis, Charlotte, and Cleveland have a Ritz Carlton.

(htown live) Those hotels are definitely coming, and both will have to be very impressive, as the rich here are filthy rich and the economy is now demanding they come...which means their Houston locations will be off the charts luxurious. (swtsig) I'll repeat what I have been told very matter of factly - ritz isn't happening. The issue isn't reveue per room it's the rate they need to achieve to make the project feasible. Even with the addition of condos they are struggling to make it work. ok, so this is the strange little conundrum that i am having as per this particular, and yet highly popular issue, we now have two of our most discerning members, currently contradicting one another's most sought after opinions. we HAIF stalwarts, surely would like to hereby believe... that both aforementioned members are extremely credible as per this particular RITZ vs W HOTEL issue. however, what can we do if both of our most knowledgeable insiders are currently constantly contradicting the most key issue, upon whether or not the hotels are actually arriving to houston. surely, both of you gentlemen can see just how incomprehensible this issue is beginning to become. it is indeed evident, that both members are relying heavily as per their individual sources vs resources. however, we would like to acquire the facts... or something very close...

And I'll repeat, Ritz not happening is not a problem. Houston has been there, done that...the St. Regis trumped Ritz in Houston. The St. Regis trumps Ritz everywhere. The Ritz is not the standard. Having stayed at several Ritz hotels around the world I assure you that many of their properties are not up to par. Several hotels in Houston surpass them. As for the South, their property in Dallas, and all 3 in Atlanta are weak traditional granny-looking bores. There are a couple in South Florida that Houston couldn't top, but otherwise the Ritz has lost a lot of luster. As for W, again, Houston has better...we would welcome it, but certainly wouldn't miss it. ...no hotel in Houston that compares to ritz? You're obviously referring to Houston County, Georgia, as Houston, TX, has several.

Why stop with just a ski slope? How about a year-round "Igloo Hotel" made completely of ice, complete with an ice bar. Or maybe a frozen distant outer space-themed futuristic Ski Lodge to accompany the ski slope. Either hotel concept could be cross-marketed as an NRG Park Convention Center hotel to benefit the complex and all tenants.

The highest RevPAR I can find in any Dallas hotel is the Ritz-Carlton (not surprising). The highest I can find in Houston is the St. Regis (a flag, by the way, not present in the DFW market). Dallas Ritz-Carlton 1st Q 2014 RevPAR: $231.71 Houston St. Regis 1st Q 2014 RevPAR: $216.09 Dallas Ritz-Carlton 2nd Q 2014 RevPAR: $268.12 Houston St. Regis 2nd Q 2014 RevPAR: $230.38 There are several hotels in Houston that match or exceed the RevPAR numbers of the W Dallas.

(thinking as i type, don't shoot me) dallas has a huge fashion marketplace, and lots of good PR. many buyers for interior design, clothing and accessories go to dallas for shows and to buy merchandise for their stores. http://dallasmarketcenter.com/ over 200,000 buyers from around the world visit dallas market center annually. that said, houston's panache is on a high-speed upward trajectory that, i fear, will surpass dallas eventually. are we ready for a "keep houston down-to-earth" campaign anyone? if landing W hotels and Ritz hotels require that houston have a different personality, i'd rather not have them. it's true that houston has been predominately a working class city; many of houston's movers and shakers in the past would never darken the door of neiman marcus. energy sector folks tend towards less flash more cash. george and cynthia mitchell are prime examples. if the guys at the top wouldn't pay for an executive suite at a posh hotel, you can bet their middle management will not want a flashy hotel on their expense reports. the same cannot be said for the advertising industry, fashion industry; the see and be seen industries thrive on being in the hot places. not a criticism, just an observation. with all of the international money flowing into houston, increasing tourism, luxury homes and high rises, it seems as though we could support more trendy hotel chains. i second the previous comment that we have bits and pieces of walkable high dollar areas scattered about town. downtown or uptown would most likely suit a W or similar hotelier. inside the loop at 610 would not be my first choice. i would want to be near those shiny chrome arches in uptown or near rail lines connecting the med center, museum district and downtown; a discovery green locale or something at the edge of downtown on buffalo bayou, near the theater district. concerning the river oaks district; is it an island unto itself? is it interacting/interconnected with neighborhoods and nearby shopping centers? it's important that all of these mixed-use developments CONNECT seemlessly with the surrounding area. it looks like many developments such as this simply turn their backs to homes and apartment complexes or put up walls. it's sad to see a "walkable" district built with no sidewalks connecting with the street or surrounding neighborhoods.

Howard Huge agrees with this entire post. Every word.

preach elseed preach! now this is what i want in this debate... passion!

Thats cause we got lame developers and too many backwards people in this city plus so many people in this city has had a anti urban and anti 24hr street life attitude for such a long time....finally we're actually starting to see houston actually be somewhat vibrant and forward thinking...its depressing to go to cities like chicago which is not that much bigger than us population wise and there is so much life in the heart of the city streets at all times...I mean look at the stupid tunnels downtown they've literally ruined streetlife downtown......vibrancy at the streetlevel is so important having a vibrant downtown is so important any city you go to most people want to go downtown because downtown is the center of the city...but Houston....oooooh noooo....no real landmarks...no real tourist attractions...and if you want anything like that in houston people flip out and think you're trying to be like "noooooo yoooork" really at the end of the day its the people...its there mentality...alot of people even though they're generations removed from the country they still want a simple country life in a city with 6 million people in the metro area...personally I feel every great city should have something for everyone...good country area, good suburban area, and a good urban area....but then again its houston...no planning..no vision...he who has the most money can create the city that he/she wants.....also no rail? Hov lanes are worthless...sometimes I feel like this city just recently came out of the stone-age

Tough way to go out