Ian Schrager has revealed his latest hotel venture will be called Public, with the first property set to open in Chicago in October, and other deals “in the works” in New York, London and LA.
According to the hotel’s website the new brand will be “inclusive, rather than exclusive”, and will “only offer services that matter, those that guests really want and need rather than an array of superfluous services they do not use”.
The website says that the “fundamental attributes” of the brand are “innovative, sophisticated, authentic style”… “spot-on, personalised empathic ‘essential’ service”… and “lasting comfort with complete functionality, all at a tremendous value”.
The first property under the Public branding will be the refurbished Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago. The hotel will open as Public Chicago in October, and according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Schrager says he is “close to securing deals to develop five hotels under his new brand”, with plans for two properties in New York, one in London and one in LA.
Ian Schrager was the co-founder of famed nightclub Studio 54, and also founded the Morgans Hotels Group. He is currently involved in a joint venture with Marriott International to rollout the Edition hotel brand (see First Edition in the December 2010 issue of Business Traveller).
For more information visit publichotels.com.
Report by Mark Caswell
