Final beam placed for Flamingo Crossings hotels

crazy4wdw

crazy4wdw

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Final beam placed for Flamingo Crossings hotels at Disney

By Sandra Pedicini Orlando Sentinel
May 21, 2015

A "topping off" ceremony took place Thursday as the final structural steel beam was placed for the first two hotels in the Flamingo Crossings development at Walt Disney World's western edge.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott will open in February. The hotels will create 130 jobs between them, a spokeswoman said.

SpringHill Suites will have 248 rooms. The extended-stay TownePlace Suites by Marriott will have 250.

Flamingo Crossings, about half a mile from Walt Disney World's western entrance, is aimed at budget tourists and teams participating in events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

Its unique amenities include athletic facilities with a sports practice field and a batting cage.

The complex will also have a poolside restaurant and bar.

The SpringHill Suites will feature approximately1,500 square feet of flexible meeting & event space, free WiFi, and on-site business services. Each suite will have a microwave, mini-fridge and coffeemaker, and large flat screen television.

The TownePlace Suites will have studio suites as well as two-bedroom suites with full-equipped kitchens. It will have 1,500 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, guest laundry, business services, free Wi-Fi, and a 24/7 food/beverage store.

Video: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-flamingo-crossings-hotels-20150521-story.html
 
The "1,500 sf of meeting space" sounds pretty funny...like less than the size of the breakfast room at the holiday inn express
 
lockedoutlogic said:
The "1,500 sf of meeting space" sounds pretty funny...like less than the size of the breakfast room at the holiday inn express
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I was thinking the same thing! That's only 50'x30' which is tiny by meeting space standards. Certainly looks like they aren't expecting a lot of business travel usage.
 
KYMickey said:
I was thinking the same thing! That's only 50'x30' which is tiny by meeting space standards. Certainly looks like they aren't expecting a lot of business travel usage.
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They are supposed to be geared at the wide world of sports clientele.
 


A "topping off ceremony." Really? Never heard of a "final beam" ceremony for a hotel before. This must be an attempt to manufacture some news. Great hotels when completed but after groundbreaking, nothing much is noteworthy until completed.
 
Yellowstonetim said:
A "topping off ceremony." Really? Never heard of a "final beam" ceremony for a hotel before. This must be an attempt to manufacture some news. Great hotels when completed but after groundbreaking, nothing much is noteworthy until completed.
Click to expand...
Having a topping out ceremony is very traditional for any building over about three stories in most parts of the country. Yes, it's good for PR but also it's kind of a celebration by the construction crew.
 


crazy4wdw said:
The estimate for opening is sometimes in February 2016.
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Interestingly enough, that's less time to build two, brand new hotels from scratch as compared to what is currently being estimated for Disney to build a handful of water-front cabins over at Wilderness Lodge. Talking about "milking it"...
 
Yellowstonetim said:
A "topping off ceremony." Really? Never heard of a "final beam" ceremony for a hotel before. This must be an attempt to manufacture some news. Great hotels when completed but after groundbreaking, nothing much is noteworthy until completed.
Click to expand...

Looking forward to the "Last piece of siding" and "final carpet square" ceremonies as well. Hope the weather is good as the press conferencing won't fit in the 1,500 square feet of meeting space!
 
Yellowstonetim said:
A "topping off ceremony." Really? Never heard of a "final beam" ceremony for a hotel before. This must be an attempt to manufacture some news. Great hotels when completed but after groundbreaking, nothing much is noteworthy until completed.
Click to expand...

Topping out (or off) is not something they just made up. See below. I have been to several topping out ceremonies. Sometimes they make the news, sometimes they don't. Most all have included a sapling or replica atop the structure. The news item probably came from the PR department of the hotel owner and sent as a press release.

Topping out
  • 'Topping Out' is a tradition that builders have observed worldwide for centuries, but where did it come from and what does it mean today?

For centuries, builders have celebrated the moment the building structure reaches it's topmost point. The age-old tradition, originally conceived to bestow good luck on a building and ward off evil spirits is now more commonly recognised as an opportunity to thank the workforce and celebrate progress made.
A principal guest is often invited to apply the final pour of structural concrete to the highest point of the building. Variations on this custom include adding the final roof tile or fixing a chimney pot in place.
Pagan history
Dating back to pagan days, the topping out ritual has been observed by builders for many centuries. Architect William of Wykeham attended one of the earliest ceremonies on 28 March 1393 for the Winchester School, while English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who died in 1400, referred to topping out ceremonies in his writing.
In the 14th century, it was customary to put a yew tree branch at the highest point of the building to keep evil spirits at bay. Today, ceremony organisers continue this long-held tradition using sprig of yew or, more sustainably, by presenting an evergreen sapling, to be planted in the landscape.
Medieval records show that the personal flag of the structure’s owner would be hoisted to the top of the building once the shell was complete. According to other historical documents, a weathercock or vane was placed at the summit.
While constructing great mansions, builders would fly coloured flags from the roof to show they needed more materials. Different colours were used to represent stone, brick and timber.
Around the world
There is evidence to suggest that in 2700 AD, the Egyptians used a live tree in a topping out ceremony for the country’s first stone building. Elsewhere, the story goes that a man was buried in the Great Wall of China’s foundations, after builders completed one of the sprawling structure’s sections in 200 BC. According to an ancient legend, 10,000 people had to be buried beneath the wall but rather than meet with this grim requirement, one person was named "Workman 10,000" and sacrificed accordingly.
The topping out ceremony is celebrated around the world. In Brazil, branches and leaves are attached to the building and the workforce eat, drink and dance as part of a ritual known as Fiesta da Cemieira. Meanwhile, in Germany, laurels are hung around the chimney and the builders whilst the Danish decorate the roof of the building with evergreen garlands, while in Jordan, builders hold a religious ceremony followed by a feast.
Modern methods
Today's topping out ceremonies are celebratory events, bringing project teams together to mark the progress made on site and giving the opportunity to thank the people involved in making it happen. In a nod to the past however, the yew branch or sapling still feature in many ceremonies.
 
Oh, I have no doubt that it is real, and that it is meaningful for building crews, architects, and owners. I think I have seen one. It just isn't a milestone that normally is a big deal to the public or noteworthy for a news release in my opinion. In other words; it isn't anything to get excited about.
 
Yellowstonetim said:
Oh, I have no doubt that it is real, and that it is meaningful for building crews, architects, and owners. I think I have seen one. It just isn't a milestone that normally is a big deal to the public or noteworthy for a news release in my opinion. In other words; it isn't anything to get excited about.
Click to expand...

Agree....while this is a time honored tradition that is done in almost EVERY case...

It's usually a 30 second clap and the foreman lets you go 30 minutes early on a Friday...

It's not newsworthy. It's a couple of mid level chain hotels...not the Taj Mahal, for gods sake.

The topping out of spaceship earth is a milestone...
Especially since it was completed in 1/4 the time that the rapunzel bathrooms in fantasyland were ;)
 
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crazy4wdw said:
Flamingo Crossings, about half a mile from Walt Disney World's western entrance, is aimed at budget tourists and teams participating in events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
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Fantastic..... this will help some of the on property resorts free up rooms taken over by cheerleaders and dance teams, not to mention all of the other sports that have their events at ESPN.... hallelujah!!!
 
Motherofcats8 said:
Fantastic..... this will help some of the on property resorts free up rooms taken over by cheerleaders and dance teams, not to mention all of the other sports that have their events at ESPN.... hallelujah!!!
Click to expand...

Actually... It will allow them to expand their events at wide world to maximize the revenue stream...

Wdw management does everything it can to avoid the scenario you're looking for: new rooms vacating old rooms.

They study it relentlessly...and that's why we haven't seen a new Disney hotel under cobstruction since 2001...and why we have AoA instead of pop century: the legendary years.

Always follow the money...
 
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