Marriott will manage a 311-room Marriott hotel in Ningbo, China, under an agreement reached with Haicheng Investment Development Co., Ltd. and scheduled to be opened in 2007.  The project architect is GMP Architects, and Hirsch Bednar Associates is the interior design firm.

The property will be located in the heart of the central business district of Ningbo within a mixed-used project containing a 38-story building that will house the hotel and office space.  The hotel will face the southern tip of Jiangbei across the Yuyao River, which is now home to a newly-redeveloped historic neighborhood housing trendy restaurants and entertainment spots. Within walking distance is Tianyi Square, Ningbo's main shopping area.  

A port city, Ningbo ranks 11th in GDP among all cities in China. Apart from shipping, Ningbo's economy is driven by small-scale engineering, garments, sportswear, food processing and toy factories.  Major companies that have invested in the city's industrial zones include Concord Oil, Exxon, Dow Chemical, Shell, China Tai, Itochu, Mitsubishi Chemical, Formosa Plastics, Nishin Steel and BP.

"We're excited by our growing portfolio of Marriott hotels in China," said Ed Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging for Marriott International.  "Ningbo's vibrant investment climate and considerable trade volume will provide an excellent source of business for the hotel, and we fully expect this property to be a welcomed addition to the business and tourism infrastructure of this growing city.

For dining and entertainment, the Ningbo Marriott Hotel will have a lobby lounge and three restaurants: a casual restaurant, a Chinese restaurant with six private dining rooms, and a specialty restaurant. 

Recreational amenities will include a fitness center offering six treatment rooms and an indoor swimming pool.  Other amenities will feature a gift shop, business center, lobby concierge desk and an executive level lounge and guest rooms

For conferences and social events, the Ningbo Marriott Hotel will have 1,118 square meters of flexible space. Included will be a 750-square-meter ballroom that will be divisible into six sections; two 125-square-meter meeting rooms, each of which will be divisible into two sections; and two other individual meeting rooms

The Marriott hotel flag is represented in China by the 155-room Beijing Marriott West, the 484-room JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, the 885-room China Hotel by Marriott (Guangzhau),  the 602-room JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, the 456-room Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa, the 313-room Shanghai Marriott Hotel Hongqiao, the 342-room JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai and the 428-room Shenyang Marriott Hotel.

Scheduled to open in 2006 are the 450-room Shenzhen Marriott and the 325-room Nanning Marriott Hotel.  The 591-room JW Marriott Hotel Beijing is expected to open in late 2007.