Room for growth

Dallas leads the U.S. for number of new hotels underway, says new report

Dallas' hotel scene is booming, thanks to new ones like the forthcoming JW Marriott Dallas Arts District.

Rendering courtesy of JW Marriott Dallas Arts District

A hotel boom is underway in the Dallas area.

As of the second quarter of 2022, 173 hotel projects with 20,707 guest rooms were in the planning or development stages in the Dallas area, according to a new report published by hospitality data provider Lodging Econometrics.

Dallas leads all U.S. regions based on the number of hotel projects in the pipeline, followed by Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, and Nashville, the report says.

“While some might expect Miami or New York City to lead the U.S. in terms of the number of hotel projects underway, that distinction actually belongs to Dallas … ,” says The Points Guy travel blog.

Among the city’s highly anticipated hotels are the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, set to open in 2023, and the Four Seasons Dallas, on track to debut in 2025.

The Points Guy points out that Dallas has led all U.S. locations in hotel development for four consecutive quarters.

Brian Hughes, managing director of JLL Hotels & Hospitality, tells the travel blog that “a heavy trend of corporate and population migration to Texas” has lifted hotel performance in Dallas as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes.

Another plus for Dallas, it says, is Texas’ business-friendly tax structure. This draws companies to the state, which then feeds demand for hotel rooms to accommodate business travelers.

Other regions of the state also are benefiting from the moving-to-Texas trend when it comes to hotel development. But Dallas far and away leads the state’s pack in this regard. And Big D’s hotel sector stands to enjoy even more of a boost when the city’s new $2 billion, 2.5-million-square-foot convention center is completed in 2029, reports say.

In the Lodging Econometrics survey, Fort Worth-Arlington ranks 15th for the number of hotels in the pipeline — 65 projects with 8,005 rooms. Elsewhere in Texas:

Houston ties for seventh place, with 94 projects featuring 10,247 guest rooms
Austin ranks 10th, with 80 projects featuring 10,306 guest rooms
San Antonio ranks 21st, with 46 projects featuring 5,116 guest rooms

“Encouraged by 2022’s upward trend in hotel performance, owners, management groups, developers, and investors are moving forward with development plans as evidenced by increasing counts at every stage of construction,” Lodging Econometrics says.

reports hotels

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Acclaimed Texas chef cooks up restaurant in swanky Hill Country hotel

Photo by Caroline Fontenot

Bludorn Hospitality is expanding to San Antonio and Fredericksburg.

Whether it's part of the trip or the reason for it, a new culinary experience will soon be awaiting Texans traveling to the Hill Country. Distinguished Texan chef Aaron Bludorn's Bludorn Hospitality Group will open a restaurant and lead the culinary program at The Kimpton Fredericksburg, a luxury hotel that’s expected to open in late 2027.

The still-unnamed restaurant will be a fresh concept from the company that’s behind five Houston restaurants — its flagship fine dining concept Bludorn, seafood restaurant Navy Blue, French-inspired Perseid at the Hotel Saint Augustine, and two locations of Bar Bludorn, including its recently opened location in The Woodlands. Later this year, Bludorn, his wife Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and their business partner Cherif Mbodji, will open a new restaurant in San Antonio's Pearl.

“We really loved the idea of being out in Fredericksburg. With us opening in San Antonio, we’ll already have a team out there,” Bludorn tells CultureMap. “We’re a growing Texas hospitality group. We see it as a great opportunity to grow our brand with Texans in really cool spaces.”

Bludorn adds that the restaurant will be a new concept from the company. Details, including its name and menu, will be released closer to the opening.

“We were drawn to Aaron’s ability to create a dining experience that feels both approachable and elevated, where exceptional food and thoughtful service come together in a way that makes every guest feel welcome,” said Blake Berg, senior vice president of development & construction for hotel owner DC Partners. “We recognize that experiential dining is an important part of what makes a destination successful, particularly in a market as distinctive as Fredericksburg.”

First announced in 2025, the Kimpton Fredericksburg is a 210-room luxury hotel. In addition to the Bludorn restaurant, it will offer a 10,000-square-foot outdoor pool and deck, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and more than 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The hotel will anchor The Meuse, a 22-acre mixed-use development with more than 70,000 square feet of retail space. Previously announced tenants include Houston-based Padre’s Wine Company, Texas bootmaker Lucchese, westernwear label Double D Ranch, gourmet food company Fischer & Wieser, and Jackson Ballard Gallery.

Photo by Caroline Fontenot

Bludorn Hospitality is expanding to San Antonio and Fredericksburg.

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