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County Executive Rob Astorino, White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach and Public Safety Commissioner David Chong were among the guests invited to the hotel to celebrate.
Champagne and hors d'oeuvres were served, and guests, including prominent clients, enjoyed live music and an informational slideshow about the renovations.
A silent auction was held to benefit "Shelter in a Storm," an organization founded by InterContinental Hotels Group, owners of the Crowne Plaza Hotels, to help hotels aid storm victims.
General Manager of the hotel Scott de Savoye said, "Today we are celebrating our crowning achievement. This hotel has had a long, illustrious history in White Plains its 28 years but, we just spent $10 million on the renovations and we wanted to invite the community to come celebrate with us."
Mayor Thomas Roach told The Daily Voice he was very pleased with Crowne Plaza's decision to continue to invest in downtown White Plains.
He said, "(Crowne Plaza) is a key player in what we're trying to do in White Plains and their major investment is another indicator of the confidence the business community has and the progress we've been making in this city."
County Executive Astorino addressed the reception, saying the Crowne Plaza Hotel is a "destination for leisure travel" in Westchester.
"The tourism trade is a $1.7 billion dollar industry in Westchester county alone, so it is getting bigger and bigger and we are glad you're a part of it," he said.
Astorino said that, on a personal note, he celebrated his election as county executive in 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and hopes to do it again in November.
Lewis Fader, formerly of New Rochelle, now vice president of operations at IHG, was also present and spoke to the crowd about the mission of the company and how it is being implemented in White Plains.
Jacqueline Vazquez, owner of Lifetime Events by Jacqueline, an event planning agency based in Scarsdale, attended the event because of her extensive work with the hotel.
"I've been doing business with the Crowne Plaza in White Plains for five years as an event planner, and I love the renovations and working with them. Their customer service is great and amazing, so the renovation couldn't be anything less," she said.
The renovations to the already sold-out hotel include the following:
- Complete renovation of 402 guest rooms and suites to include all furniture, carpet, drapes, bathrooms and bedding
- Renovation of all guest corridors
- Installation of 42” flat screen television's in all guest rooms and suites
- Upgraded bathroom amenities featuring Temple Spa products
- Upgraded bathroom fixtures and new showers in executive level guest rooms
- All guest rooms include a refrigerator and an in-room safe
- Complete renovation of the executive floor lounge
- Renovation of 17,000 square feet of meeting space and pre-function space
- Front desk renovation
- Renovation of all public restrooms
- Renovation and expansion of the fitness center with installation of new equipment
The White Plains Crowne Plaza is at 66 Hale Ave. For more information on the hotel, visit its website here.
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