By John P. McDermott, The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.
Dec. 22--New year, new name.
The Sheraton Charleston Hotel on Lockwood Drive will be known as the Radisson Hotel Charleston starting Jan. 1.
The 12-story property also will undergo an extensive renovation as it approaches the 20-year mark.
The 333-room hotel has flown the Sheraton flag ever since its July 1980 opening.
"Our franchise expired," said Leon Volkert, president of Florida-based Summit Hotel Management, which
bought the Sheraton Charleston in 1984.
The name change stems from a decision by Starwood Hotels to convert the Hilton Charleston North near U.S. Interstate
26 and Montague Avenue to a Sheraton.
Starwood, which owns both the Sheraton brand and the local Hilton, did not want two hotels in this market competing
under the same name, Volkert said.
"That's true, particularly since they own the brand and the building in North Charleston," he said. "They
want to do as well as they can there ... We loved our tradition with Sheraton over the years, and we understand
why they're doing what they're doing.
"It's a good business move for them and fortunately we've been able to align ourselves with a company that'll
work well with our convention and leisure business," he added.
The transition has been in the works for months, Volkert said.
"They were very nice and gave us lots of lead time," he said of Starwood. "We talked to most of
the major brands. As a destination and convention hotel we felt Radisson met our needs as well as anybody."
Minneapolis-based Radisson Hotels already has a local presence through a property at Rivers and Aviation avenues
in North Charleston. The chain is part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, one of the nation's largest privately
held companies. In addition to hotels, Carlson owns travel agencies, a cruise line and the T.G.I. Friday restaurant
chain.
Volkert said his local employees will not be affected by the move. Also, repeat guests probably will not notice
any significant changes in service as the property switches from Sheraton to Radisson, he added.
"I think they're both good quality brands," said Volkert, whose company will start sprucing up the downtown
hotel by the first of the year.
"We're spending a lot of money there," he said.
Major improvements are planned for the lobby, banquet rooms, elevators and corridors, Volkert said. Also, the guest
rooms will be fitted with new beddings, television and chairs.
The Sheraton Charleston is the peninsula's second-biggest hotel behind the 440-room Charleston Place.
It was unclear Tuesday when Starwood will change its local Hilton to the Sheraton flag. The general manager could
not be reached for comment.
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