Interstate to Manage Hotel at Moscow Resort

By Elena Gontar, Staff Writer

-- Interstate Hotels & Resorts has signed a contract to manage the hotel component of a 3 million-square-foot indoor resort to be built outside Moscow.

The mixed-used retail and entertainment complex to be named Freestyle Park will feature an indoor ski slope, apartments, bars, restaurants, movie theaters, an aqua park, a science museum and a shopping center. The project is being developed by MT Development, with the hotel portion expected to open Spring 2011.

It is Interstate’s tenth hotel management contract in Europe, eight of which are open and operating.

“The scale of this exciting new project surpasses anything being developed in Russia today,” Thomas Hewitt, Interstate’s CEO, said in a release.  “We have significant experience operating hotels in mixed-use developments and have built a proven track record in this specialized niche. In addition, we plan to take advantage of the operating synergies and economies of scale that result from our extensive knowledge of Russian hospitality.”

The site of the proposed Freestyle Park is located in southwest Moscow, adjacent to the Moscow Ring Road, along the Kievskoe Highway.  The property is within minutes of the Vnukovo Airport and 20 minutes from Downtown Moscow.  

The development plan includes a 420,000-square-foot ski arena, a 312,000-square-foot entertainment zone, 162,000 square feet of retail and a 205,000-square-foot hotel component with approximately 300 rooms and residential units. Hotel amenities include  a spa, restaurant and bars, and 10,800 square feet of conference facilities.

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