SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced it has executed a lease for a new corporate headquarters in Rockville, Md. The news follows the October 25, 2010, announcement by Governor Martin O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and City of Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio that Choice Hotels had signed a letter of intent to move to Rockville when the lease on the company’s current building expires in 2013. The new headquarters, which will pursue LEED certification, will be located at a building being completed at 121 Rockville Pike in Rockville Town Center, where the company will occupy more than 130,000 square feet of Class A office space. The building will be developed, constructed, owned, and managed by the Foulger-Pratt Companies.
“We are very pleased that Montgomery County will continue to be our home and that we were able to secure a headquarters location in Rockville—a vibrant community convenient to the vast majority of our associate base,” said Stephen P. Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels. “Rockville Town Center is the ideal location for Choice Hotels—offering easy access to Metro bus and rail service as well as a wealth of dining and shopping options for our associates, franchisees and our many visitors and business associates. Additionally, we are grateful to have the opportunity to direct the build out of our new headquarters to meet our unique specifications and needs.”
Choice Hotels International was founded in 1941 and has been headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., since 1968. The company, which was assisted in its search by brokerage firm Studley, anticipates a summer 2011 groundbreaking for its new headquarters and a move-in date in spring 2013.
Governor Pleased with Decision
“Choice Hotels’ commitment to investing and creating new jobs in Maryland speaks to the quality and availability of our workforce, our strategic location and the supportive business climate that the State and our partners in Montgomery County offer to businesses,” said Governor O’Malley. “We are pleased that Choice, one of the world’s largest lodging companies, will continue to make its home in Maryland and we look forward to working with the company as it continues to grow and expand in Rockville.”
“The only thing better than announcing that Choice Hotels International signed a letter of intent to stay in the County is today’s announcement that they have officially signed a lease to occupy 130,000 square feet of prime Class A office space in the heart of downtown Rockville,” said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett. “Choice Hotels is truly one of Montgomery County’s leading corporate citizens. Their outstanding business acumen is only surpassed by their commitment to their employees and to Montgomery County’s business community by choosing to remain and grow here for many more years to come. I congratulate Stephen and his team.”
Choice Hotels has been extensively involved in charitable efforts in Montgomery County. It kicked off its three-year partnership with its signature cause partner Rebuilding Together in September 2009 in Rockville, with more than 100 Choice Hotels associates volunteering to rehabilitate Stepping Stones Shelter. In 2010, the company’s associates rehabilitated two homes in the Wheaton/Silver Spring area. Additionally, the company received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for its participation in the Manna Smart Sacks Volunteer Program, where it supports a county elementary school providing backpacks of food year-round for needy children. Additionally, Choice Hotels, through its Choice Hotels International Foundation, supports numerous philanthropic causes in the county and is a member of the Montgomery County Corporate Volunteer Council.
Go to Choice Hotels.
