PHOENIX – The construction of a new 18-story, 290-room Westin Hotel is officially underway in downtown Tempe after a ground-breaking ceremony took place on Thursday.

According to a press release, the Westin Tempe will be a full-service business hotel with state-of-the-art guest rooms, a modern look and custom finishes throughout the building. It will also feature five deluxe suites on the 17th floor.

In addition, the hotel will feature a rooftop pool and lounge, a full-service restaurant and coffee bar as well as a WestinWORKOUT fitness studio.

There will also be more than 14,000-square-feet of space for meetings and conventions on the main floor of the hotel.

The Westin Tempe is a welcomed addition to the area as it continues to grow.

“Tempe has the second-highest hotel occupancy rate in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area,” Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell said.

“This hotel will bring beautiful, full-service accommodations to the heart of our downtown that will allow us to welcome more people to Tempe and increase tourism revenues for our community.”

The hotel will be located on Seventh Street between Mill Avenue and Myrtle Street, right next to the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State.

Construction of the Westin Tempe is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.

SOURCE: http://ktar.com/story/1965866/new-westin-hotel-downtown-tempe-breaks-ground/