Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa celebrates 20th anniversary, $35m expansion and renovation

SAN ANTONIO - State and local elected officials and tourism industry leaders gathered to celebrate the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa's 20th anniversary and the emergence of San Antonio as a world-class resort destination. When the resort opened in 1993, it was the first new hotel built in Texas in five years and established the "destination resort" market in San Antonio.

"Hyatt Hill Country was immediately successful," said Gino Caliendo, General Manager. "We've averaged more than 200,000 guests every year since, bringing millions of visitors to San Antonio from all 50 states across the U.S. and 55 different countries across the world. In addition, the resort has provided employment for more than 4,000 area residents over the 20 years – currently employing 719 local residents."

The celebration coincided with the resort's completion of a $35-million expansion and renovation, essentially doubling the indoor function space to 70,000 square feet, including the addition of a 20,000-square-foot ballroom (see time lapse construction.) Exterior function space added with the expansion includes a 7,260-square-foot landscaped courtyard, complete with a Texas-sized, stacked limestone working fireplace and a 5,000-square-foot event lawn connected to the new ballroom. Woodbine managed the project, with WATG and Wimberly Interiors providing interior design services; HKS Hill Glazier Studio as architect of record; Rialto Studio, Inc., managing landscape improvements; and Hardin Construction Company, L.L.C., as general contractor.

In late 2013, the resort ownership refinanced Hyatt Hill Country with loans from Morgan Stanley and Prudential Real Estate Investors. These loans repaid the then existing loan held by USAA and, in combination with additional ownership funding, facilitated the resort's expansion and renovation.

A FlowRider wave machine and a tower slide were added to the resort's onsite water park, expanding it to 5 acres. The heated wave machine can be enjoyed year-round and provides resort guests the options of body boarding, knee boarding or stand-up boarding – the only location in Texas with a stand-up boarding option.

A message from Governor Rick Perry delivered by Texas Tourism Director Brad Smyth kicked off the event, acknowledging San Antonio as a top leisure destination and speaking to the major role San Antonio plays in keeping Texas in the forefront of national tourism.

"Having corporations like Woodbine and Hyatt recognize San Antonio as a location for the first luxury destination resort in Texas was big," said Nelson W. Wolff, Bexar County Judge, who was the mayor of San Antonio when the resort opened in 1993. "What followed were more resorts and more visitors and, ultimately, it has had a very positive impact on our local economy."

In a re-creation of the original opening ceremonies, participating VIPs arrived via a Wells Fargo stagecoach for a "Hill Country Housewarming" celebration. Dr. Charles Wiseman, Partner, Rogers-Wiseman Family Interests, cut the barbed-wire ribbon to unveil the 20th anniversary expansion and renovation. The Rogers-Wiseman family owned the resort site and thousands of acres of surrounding ranchland for more than 100 years and is celebrating a 25-year relationship with Woodbine that continues today.

Guests enjoyed a Texas Hill Country Tastings strolling lunch as they looked over the new expansion in an open house following the ceremonies.