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AUBURN — Last week, the AC Hotel by Marriott Auburn had its groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its future home, right off North Gay Street in downtown Auburn. The event marked a significant milestone in the development of this upscale hotel, set to redefine hospitality in the heart of the city.
AC Hotel by Marriott Auburn, an upcoming luxury hotel project, is positioned to establish new benchmarks of hospitality excellence in downtown Auburn. With its prime location on North Gay Street, the hotel combines sophisticated amenities with a commitment to exceptional service, ensuring a memorable experience for guests from the moment they arrive.
“This groundbreaking ceremony is a momentous occasion for us,” said Rinkesh Patel, CEO of RAM Hotels. “We have planned and kept our eyes on having an AC here in Auburn for a long time, and we did just that. We visited this spot back in February of 2020, right before everything shut down. We knew moving forward we couldn’t let this project pass us, and here we are.”
The hotel will feature an inviting AC Bar & Lounge on the ground floor, complemented by “Olivine,” a rooftop bar and dining experience offering panoramic views of downtown Auburn, open to the public.
“The people want to be here, and having a cool place to stay is going to make it that much better,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “Auburn over the next 10 years is going to continue to evolve and change, and I believe we are just scratching the surface for giving people who are not residents of Auburn a reason to come to Auburn.”
Organized by RAM Hotels, a Columbus, Georgia, based hotel development and management company, the groundbreaking ceremony was attended by a lineup of industry leaders and community representatives. Key figures included Rinkesh Patel, CEO of RAM Hotels, Matt Patel, COO of RAM Hotels; Noah Silverman, Marriott International’s Global Development Officer for the US and Canada; Ashley Parrott, representing The Saturday Crowd, the branding company behind the hotel’s new rooftop bar and dining experience, “Olivine”; Hudson Terrell, the esteemed restauranteur curating the menu for Olivine; Brooke Kastner, vice president of Auburn Opelika Tourism; David Hedges, president & CEO of Auburn Bank; Anders, mayor of Auburn; and Kane Morris, general manager of the AC Hotel in Columbus, who will be the general manager for the upcoming AC Hotel in Auburn.
The event unfolded in a dynamic Q&A style format, featuring two panel sessions with the aforementioned leaders. Discussions centered around the vision behind the AC Hotel brand, the transformative impact of the new hotel on the Auburn community and the exciting prospects for the future.
Members of the panel ceremoniously broke ground with shovels, amidst the backdrop of spectacular fireworks, symbolizing the beginning of a new era for hospitality in Auburn.
With the groundbreaking ceremony now complete, the AC Hotel by Marriott Auburn said it looks forward to bringing its vision of luxury and hospitality excellence to life. It is scheduled to open its doors in the fourth quarter of 2025.
ABOUT RAM HOTELS:
Based in Columbus, Georgia, RAM Hotels is an award-winning management and development company. RAM Hotels has developed 19 hotels from the ground up with a total investment of more than $450 million. The company currently owns and operates 27 hotels in Georgia and Alabama, composed of 13 brands, including Marriott, Hilton and IHG. An additional 14 hotels are in active development at a total project development cost of over $220 million.
ABOUT AC HOTELS:
AC Hotels includes over 225 hotels in 33 countries and territories. At AC Hotels, every moment has been designed, refined, crafted and considered to create a seamless guest experience. Each AC Hotel features purposefully designed signature spaces that strike the perfect balance of form and function. Most notably, the AC Lounge invites guests and locals alike to collaborate during the day, or to enjoy signature cocktails and tapas in the evening. The AC Kitchen offers a European-inspired breakfast each morning. All AC guest rooms, and public spaces evoke a particular sophistication, featuring sleek furnishings, curated artwork and intuitive technology. The brand is dedicated to the details that matter most to guests during their travels with a mission to deliver The Perfectly Precise Hotel experience. For more information, visit www.ac-hotels.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. AC Hotels is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com.