Bank of America getting into the luxury hotel business [View All]

Source: USA Today

Bank of America this fall's slated to open a new hotel across the street from its corporate headquarters -- and it's not a Holiday Inn.

Instead, the nation's largest bank is opening a new, eco-friendly Ritz-Carlton in a sleek 18-story building. The luxury hotel will have bi-level, penthouse "wellness center" (in other words, a spa).

If it weren't for the fact that Bank of America had taken $45 billion in TARP money, the hotel - instead of the owner - would've been the headline.

When the 147-room hotel opens, it will be Charlotte's first five-star hotel and the first-ever LEED certified hotel for both the city and the chain. That means it will meet a long list of certain criteria set by the Green Building Council, including water and energy efficiency, sustainability and indoor air quality. The hotel will be so green that the custom-designed employee uniforms consist of fabric made from regenerated plastic bottles. The hotel also will have the space for extravagant affairs with 12,000 square feet of meeting space that can fit up to 480 dinner guests.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/05/67364023/1