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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 115-03
May 5, 2003

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND GOVERNOR GEORGE E. PATAKI RAISE FLAGS TO MARK REOPENING OF RESTORED MILLENIUM HILTON HOTEL

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Governor George E. Pataki and Senior Vice President of Hilton/Doubletree Operations Northeast Ted Ratcliff today raised the American, New York State and New York City flags, to mark the reopening of the fully refurbished hotel. The long-awaited reopening of the Financial District’s first luxury hotel is a major milestone in the resurgence of Lower Manhattan. The Reverend Samuel Johnson Howard, Vicar of Trinity Church and the historic St. Paul’s Chapel next door to the Millenium Hilton gave the invocation. Representatives from the New York City Police and Fire Departments, and the Port Authority Police Department also attended the event.

“Today we recognize an enormous achievement for the downtown community and I want to welcome back the people who made this possible – the staff of the Millenium Hilton Hotel,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “These individuals exemplify what’s best about New Yorkers: loyalty, resilience, and a fighting spirit that’s unmatched anywhere in the world.  Less than twenty months since the September 11th attack, few would have believed back then that the doors of the Millenium Hilton would re-open for guests so quickly. But due to the tireless efforts of tens of thousands of New Yorkers working on the hotel, and across the street at the World Trade Center site, here we are, and that is a fitting tribute to the people we lost that day and a testament to what amazing things we can do when we dream big and get to work. I want to thank Hilton hotels – one of our finest corporate citizens – for maintaining its commitment to this location. Your faith in Lower Manhattan will be repaid a thousand times over.” 

“If 2002 was the year of recovery in Lower Manhattan, 2003 is the year of renewal. The seeds of that renewal are taking hold here, today, as we celebrate the reopening of the Millenium Hilton Hotel,” said Governor Pataki. “I congratulate all of the hard-working New Yorkers who have brought the Millenium back to us, in yet another critical step to ensure that Lower Manhattan's best days are yet to come.”

“The opening of this brand new hotel and the return of our old friends - the 300 people who worked here - is an affirmation of the triumph of the human spirit, the American spirit, the New York Spirit,” Mr. Ratcliff said. “I want to thank the Mayor and the Governor for their leadership in making this day possible.”

“The excellent service that has been associated with the Millenium Hilton will continue as we welcome home the original employees and our loyal Hilton customers,” said General Manager Jan H. Larsen.

The Millenium Hilton, located at 55 Church Street, is a 565-room, 385,466 square foot, luxury hotel, which was completely refurbished from the top floor to the lower lobby, an effort overseen by the design team of Stonehill & Taylor architects and Brennan Beer Gorman Monk Interiors (BBGM).  The Millenium Hilton is proud to introduce Church & Dey, the completely revamped 2,500 square foot, 120-seat restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a newly reconfigured lobby bar, Liquid Assets, designed to be a gathering place for local businessmen, residents and travelers.





CONTACT:

Jordan Barowitz / Lark-Marie Antón   (212) 788-2958

Lisa Stoll/Mollie Fullington (Governor)   (212) 681-4640

Carla Cicalese (Rubenstein Associates)   (212) 843-8293


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