Phoenix's midtown landscape sees a significant development as the city welcomes the first new hotel rooms in decades with the opening of the Tru hotel and Home2 Suites by Hilton at the Park Central mixed-use project. This dual-branding strategy, a concept that combines two distinct hotel brands under one roof, is setting a new hospitality benchmark with a total of 207 rooms divided between 104 Tru rooms and 103 Home2 Suites, as reported by ABC15.
Strategically placed in the Phoenix Medical Quarter, the hotels' proximity to major healthcare and educational institutions, including Creighton University Health Sciences Campus and St. Joseph's Hospital, reiterates their commitment to serving the community's core needs. Plaza Companies, Holualoa Companies, and Fayth Hospitality Group are the developers behind this expansive five-story site, which was previously Park Central Mall. The venture resonates with the transformational vision for midtown Phoenix, bringing new energy to the historic site's ongoing revitalization efforts. Sharon Harper, Chairman and CEO of Plaza Companies, underscored the project's mixed-use significance, as obtained by AZ Big Media, "This property has truly become a mixed-use hub in the center of the city with an emphasis on healthcare, education and public art, and the hotels are a perfect fit for the community’s needs."
The hotel complex extends beyond basic lodging with various shared amenities that contribute towards a richer guest experience. Among these amenities are a complimentary full breakfast buffet, a Spin2Cycle fitness and laundry center, a rooftop swimming pool, and even outdoor firepits and grills, as detailed by AZ Big Media. Billed as offering enhanced communal areas, the property looks to attract both business and leisure travelers through its versatile offerings including flexible meeting spaces.
In conjunction with the hotel opening, community initiatives have been set into motion to facilitate local growth and provide training opportunities. The Park Central Hospitality Training program, a collaborative effort by entities such as Grand Canyon University and the City of Phoenix, aims to prepare candidates for hospitality careers. A similar program by Layton Construction, the City of Phoenix, and South Mountain Community College imparts construction skills through their Construction Trades Curriculum. Councilwoman Laura Pastor hailed these efforts as a testament to the positive outcomes of public-private partnerships, telling AZ Big Media, "This project will enhance local opportunities, benefiting everyone involved."
