337-room Marriott takes technology to next level for business travelers

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

When the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids opens later this month, business travelers will find it's equipped with an array of the most cutting-edge technology of any hotel in West Michigan, including some $1,000 in technology connections in each guest room.

A single entry point, or "jack pack," built into the guest room desk connects all the technology in the room. Guests can plug in their satellite radio, game console, send tunes and video to the 37-inch flat screen TV from an MP3 player, or view their laptop's data on the television. Using the split-screen feature, business travelers can work on a spreadsheet and watch a football game or movie at the same time—all on the same TV screen.

"The beauty of it is it's all in one spot, right there in front of your desk chair," says George Aquino, general manager. "You don't have to search around the room to find an outlet for the electronics."

In the 13,000-square-foot ballroom, the state-of-the-art technology includes fiber telecommunications and CAT6 cabling for worldwide video conferencing.

"I wouldn't call it real time, but it's as fast as it gets," says Michael Cassell, A/V sales manager for Amway Hotel Corporation, owner of the Marriott.

Cassell says the ballroom has the technical capabilities of a television studio, including a full technical support crew.

"The room has full staging support," Cassell says. "To a producer that means you have the show power to power a complicated event, as well as the flexibility to set the room and create the design you want."

Source: George Aquino, JW Marriott; Michael Cassell, Amway Hotel Corporation

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].

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