INDUSTRY NEWS On Tap Continued from page 15 ■ CHECKERS/RALLY'S
Checkers/Rally's has unveiled three remodeled restaurants in Ohio, part of a group of 10 test sites that will sport the new design by year's end. The new look incorporates
traditional signature elements, including neon signs and checkerboards in a more modern way, and a new logo. The look is part of a larger push to shake up the chain's image.
HOSPITALITY ■ LIBERTY GROUP
Liberty Group has acquired the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton in Tampa, Fla. The purchase marks Liberty's 18th hotel acquisi- tion throughout the United States since 2010. Built in 2005, the hotel is strategically located on Interstate 4, between Tampa and Orlando, and adjacent to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and the Florida State Fairgrounds & Amphitheatre.
■ HOTEL ASSETS GROUP
The Hotel Assets Group has completed the acquisition of 20 hotels out of a port- folio of 23 properties it has agreed to pur- chase. The portfolio includes hotels under the Courtyard by Marriott, Candlewood Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites brands.
■ STRATEGIC HOTELS & RESORTS
Strategic Hotels & Resorts has acquired the historic Jumeirah Essex House hotel in New York for $362.3 million and plans to rebrand the property as a JW Marriott hotel. The 509-room hotel will undergo an $18.3 million renovation after the deal closes September 7 and will be renamed the JW Marriott Essex House New York.
■ RIU HOTELS & RESORTS
A large parcel of land in New York could become home to a 300,000-square-foot hotel under plans by Riu Hotels & Resorts, which purchased the site for $111.1 million. The planned Riu Plaza New York Times Square, which would have more than 600 rooms, is scheduled to open in 2015.
■ HOTEL ASSETS GROUP
The Hotel Assets Group has completed the acquisition of 20 hotels out of a portfolio of 23 properties it has agreed to purchase. The portfolio includes hotels under the Court - yard by Marriott, Candlewood Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites brands.
CCR Circle No. 12 16 Commercial Construction & Renovation September/October 2012