Grand opening

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James Neiss/staff photographer Open for Business: The Four Points by Sheraton hotel on Buffalo Avenue is having its grand opening today.
James Neiss/staff photographer hotel comforts: The Four Points by Sheraton owner Faisal Merani shows off one of the jacuzzi suites at the newly renovated hotel.
James Neiss/staff photographer a personal spa: A jacuzzi suite bath is shown. It features a view of the north Grand Island bridges.
James Neiss/staff photographerNiagara Falls, NY - The pool at the newly renovated Four Points by Sheraton hotel on Buffalo Avenue, features a view of Grand Island across the Niagara River.
James Neiss/staff photographerNiagara Falls, NY - The new patio at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel features a grand view of the Niagara River.
James Neiss/staff photographerNiagara Falls, NY - Food and Beverage Manager Jason Wagner shows of a freshly mixed Key Lime Martini. The Four Points by Sheraton hotel Bella Vista Ristorante features a complete line of signature drinks.

June 9, 2011

LaSalle’s Four Points by Sheraton features 141 rooms, a 2,500-square-foot patio and more

By Mark Scheer Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Thu Jun 09, 2011, 12:34 AM EDT

NIAGARA FALLS — For the Merani family, it is now officially one down and one to go.

Today, the local hotel developers are celebrating the grand opening of the Four Points by Sheraton, the newly renovated hotel that has replaced the old the Inn on the River on Buffalo Avenue in LaSalle.

“It’s great to finally be open and running a hotel instead of a construction site,” said Faisal Merani, whose company, LaSalle Hospitality Inc., has been working on the $6.5 million renovation project since last July.

The hotel features 141 rooms, a full-service restaurant, a 2,500-square-foot patio and four meeting rooms, the largest of which can accommodate up to 400 people. All carpeting, fixtures and other leftovers from the old hotel property have been replaced in keeping with standards set by the Four Points by Sheraton hotel chain.

The formal grand opening celebration will take this evening, but the new hotel has been catering to customers since a soft opening on May 19. So far, Merani said, business has been brisk, including sellouts every Saturday since the doors opened.

“We’re looking forward to a good season,” Merani said.

Merani is the son of prominent local hotelier Ashak Merani, who owns the Holiday Inn on Buffalo Avenue and the Days Inn & Suites and the Sterling Inn and Spa in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

LaSalle Hospitality Inc. purchased the old Inn on the River hotel property in 2009. A second company headed by Faisal Merani, Merani Hospitality Inc., also purchased the former Fallside Hotel and Conference Center at 401 Buffalo Ave. at that time. The Niagara County Industrial Development Agency has granted 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements to assist Merani’s companies in redeveloping both hotels.

The deal tied to the Fallside includes a unique provision under which his company is not paying any property taxes on the site for at least the first two years of ownership. The proposal includes an option for the tax-free period to be extended by three additional years, provided the developer meets the agency’s investment benchmarks. At the time, IDA officials argued such an incentive was needed to help the Fallside location compete with the nearby, tax-free Seneca Niagara Hotel and Casino.

On Wednesday, Faisal Merani said now that the renovation work is completed at the Four Points by Sheraton location, he will turn his attention to renovating and reopening the old Fallside hotel as promised. Merani said there is still a good deal of design work to be done for that project ,which he expects to involve a significant amount of demolition. He hopes to be able to begin actual work on the site sometime this fall.

“That’s definitely next on the agenda,” he said.

Contact Mark Scheer

at 282-2311, ext. 2250.

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