Walmart in franchise agreement for hotel on its new campus
Walmart Inc. is adding more amenities to its new home campus in Bentonville, Ark.
The retailer has signed a franchise agreement with Marriott International to build and operate a hotel on the campus under the banner of AC Hotel by Marriott. Featuring more than 90,000 sq. ft. and 153 rooms, the five-story hotel will feature sleek furnishings and tech-enabled amenities to create an elevated experience for guests, Walmart said.
With a summer 2024 opening date, the hotel will also include a combined 6,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space on the main lobby floor. There will also be a rooftop lounge with indoor and outdoor seating.
In a blog on the company’s website, Cindi Marsiglio, senior VP, corporate real estate, Walmart, noted that while many Walmart associates live and work in the Bentonville area, many others work across the country and around the world. And the “home office is their home, too.”
“To better serve our associates in the field and other office locations, we knew it was essential to include a hotel on our new campus,” said Cindi Marsiglio, senior VP, corporate real estate, Walmart, in a blog on the company’s website. “From recruiting visits and company gatherings to visiting associates coming to share and learn, having a hotel within campus will enhance each visit.”
AC Hotel by Marriott Bentonville will be located in the Northwest neighborhood of campus, on the Razorback Greenway. Anchoring to the urban corner of 8th Street and J Street, the hotel sits on a primary corridor, with convenient access to office buildings, campus amenities, retail environment and a network of walking and biking paths.
In 2019, Walmart revealed plans to build a new corporate campus across 350 acres in Bentonville. The company hired Gensler as the executive architect to oversee the project from start to finish.
In May, Walmart revealed plans for two campus buildings that will be dedicated to health-and-wellness, including the Walton Family Whole Health & Fitness center, which will span 360,000 sq. ft., and be home to the latest fitness equipment along with educational and communal spaces. The campus will also include a 73,000-sq.-ft. childcare center.