Toronto (March 11, 2010) - Toronto is undergoing a profound transformation.  The city skyline is alive with 53 new corporate towers, two major arts and entertainment centres, luxury hotels and gleaming condos. A new construction crane seems to join the skyline every week.

The current building boom will add four million square feet of office space, some 15,000 condo units and 850 hotel rooms to Toronto’s core.  Not only has the building boom kept up throughout the recession, but all projects follow a sustainability guideline developed by the Toronto Green Standard for New Construction. This is a city-wide guideline that sets out environmentally-friendly construction practices and ways to increase the energy efficiency of new buildings.

Be Our Guest!

The luxury hotel boom in Toronto has been the most prominent of city-wide developments. Appropriately located in Toronto’s art and design district is the Thompson Toronto Hotel.  Set to open in spring 2010, Toronto is the first location outside of the U.S. for the prestigious Thompson chain. Its 102 rooms of artful luxury provide an ideal location for visitors to experience Toronto’s vibrant nightlife and cutting edge cuisine. The rooftop features a bar lounge, swimming pool with private cabanas and stunning views of Toronto’s skyline and lakefront.

Putting on the Ritz is precisely what the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto will be doing once open in fall 2010. The building’s striking form standing at 53-stories will be an architectural icon.  The only Ritz-Carlton in Canada, it will feature 267 rooms and 159 condominium residences in midst of the entertainment district. Offering world-class dining and classic amenities this five-star hotel will join the club of Toronto’s elite hotel destinations.

When the new luxury boutique hotel, Le Germain Maple Leaf Square opens its doors in August 2010, discerning travellers and sports fans alike will appreciate the modern décor and high-tech amenities each room features. Adjacent to the Air Canada Centre, a major league sports and concert venue, the eight-storey boutique-hotel, will have 171 guest rooms, 5,000 square feet of meeting space, 8,000 square feet of fitness facilities and a 2,000-square-foot hotel café.  

Donald Trump’s first Canadian venture, Trump International Hotel and Tower features luxury at its finest. The 60-storey mixed use building is slated to open in 2011 in the heart of Toronto’s  financial district.            

Where history meets sophistication, will be the renowned Shangri-La Hotel and Residences.   Slated to open in 2012, this 65-storey tower features 17 floors of sumptuous hotel rooms decorated in a contemporary classical style with Asian highlights.

Rising out of Toronto’s sports and entertainment district in 2010 will be Bisha Hotel & Residences. This 41-storey hotel and residence building with its 1920s -inspired interior takes guests back in time. Bisha will feature a 24-hour café, two restaurants and a rooftop swimming pool.

Scheduled to start construction in 2011 and open in 2013, Hotel in the Garden will be located on the grounds of Exhibition Place along with the Direct Energy Centre and the newly-opened Allstream Centre convention and tradeshow facilities.  The 320-room, 26-storey hotel will offer guests resort-style amenities and stunning views of neighbouring Lake Ontario and the city skyline.

Newest Venues

These venues include Canada’s newest and greenest conference centre – the Allstream Centre that opened in October 2009. Located in the historic Automotive Building in the grounds of Exhibition Place, this historical art-deco architectural masterpiece boasts 160,000 square feet of state-of-the-art technology; ideal for conferences, conventions and just about any exhibition.

Located just west of the Bloor-Yorkville shopping district The Telus Centre for Performance and Learning is one of the world’s finest cultural centres. Home to the Royal Conservatory of Music, the newly expanded facility combines Victorian and modern architecture and features new rehearsal and performance spaces. Koerner Hall opened to rave reviews for its acoustics and design.  

You can feel the excitement and anticipation growing at the corner of King and John Streets in the heart of the Entertainment District, the site of the new 150,000 square foot Bell Lightbox. This outstanding facility will be the home for the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in September. It will also facilitate existing film programs, new initiatives, as well as community and industry events. Bell Lightbox will provide an essential meeting place and transformative experiences for film professionals, educators and film lovers from around the globe.     

Together the steadily rising Toronto hotels, condos and office towers culminate to offer a glimpse of the vertical city to come.   

Summary of new Toronto hotel builds:

About Tourism Toronto

Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention and Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,200 members established to sell and market the greater Toronto region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travellers around the globe. For more information please visit www.seetorontonow.com.

                        - 30 -

For more information contact:

Justine Palinska

Tourism Toronto

416-987-1739

jpalinska@torcvb.com