Our Projects

Manchester Texas Financial Group's inaugural project is the Fairmont Austin hotel.

Austin Convention Hotel Project

In collaboration with leading global architecture and design firm, Gensler, Manchester Texas Financial Group’s inaugural hospitality development is a 1,066-room hotel adjacent to the Austin Convention Center along Waller Creek. Anticipated to earn the first LEED Gold Hotel designation in Austin, the project includes two restaurants, retail, and 115,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space.

Ideal Location

The Fairmont Austin will be built on a 1.74-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets, connected to the Austin Convention Center by an elevated walkway designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners, the same firm selected by the Waller Creek Conservancy to develop a master plan for the Waller Creek area. Waller Creek runs along the northwestern edge of the Fairmont Austin location.

Supporting the Convention Industry

The Fairmont Austin is expected to help Austin attract additional convention center business and meet pent-up demand. It will feature 106,500 square feet of meeting space, plus an additional 43,300 square feet of pre-function space and a 19,000-square-foot outdoor deck with space for 1,200 guests. Austin hosts major events such as F1, SXSW and Austin City Limits; however, a lack of rooms has held the industry back from landing other major conventions that bring stability and diversification to this part of the local economy.

Supporting Austin's Tax Base

The Fairmont Austin will generate upwards of $15 million in hotel occupancy tax and contribute $6 million in property tax annually, most of which will go to the Waller Creek TIF (tax increment financing) district.

Project Team

• Developer: Manchester Texas Financial Group
• Financing: Colony Capital, LLC
• Operator: FRHI Hotels & Resorts
• Construction: Hunt Construction Group
• Architect: Gensler
• Engineer: Consort, Inc.
• Interior Design: Warren Sheets Design
• Landscape Architect: dwg

Project Facts

• Location: 101 Red River Street, just east of the Austin Convention Center. The site will be connected via an elevated walkway, making it the only hotel with direct access to the convention center.
• Height: 595 feet, which will make it the second tallest structure in downtown Austin.
• No. of Stories: 37, plus 4 of underground parking
• No. of Rooms: 1,068 rooms
• Size: 1.4 million square feet, making it Austin’s largest hotel. It will also be the largest Fairmont hotel in the world, thanks to its expansive meeting capacity.
• Meeting Capacity: More than 168,000 square feet total, with 106,500 square feet of meeting space, plus an additional 43,300 square feet of pre-function space and Ballrooms: 19,000-square-foot outdoor deck with space for 1,200 guests.
• 5th floor ballroom features 31,053 square feet (largest hotel ballroom in Austin);
• 3rd floor ballroom features 25,964 square feet
• Project Cost: $350 million+
• Jobs Generated: ±1,000 permanent and 700 construction jobs
• Parking: 525 spaces

Green by Design

The hotel’s design encompasses a number of green building elements that complements Fairmont’s industry-leading philosophy of operational sustainability and responsible tourism. More than two decades ago, Fairmont was the first hotel company to adopt a comprehensive environmental program and more recently became the first luxury brand to address climate change by pledging to significantly reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.

Additionally, MTFG supports efforts of the Waller Creek Conservancy and Austin Parks Foundation to ensure Waller Creek becomes an appealing community amenity.

Todd Runkle, Principal and Managing Director of Gensler’s Austin office, describes the design of the Fairmont as a significant architectural contribution to the city’s skyline as well as a catalyst for the development along Waller Creek.The design of the building incorporates a high level of sustainability including an energy efficient exterior skin, building systems while using local materials and promoting a more walkable downtown Austin.