The Jersey City Hyatt Regency hotel officially opened Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Gov. James McGreevey and Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham.
"The Hyatt Regency represents a remarkable step in the development of the Jersey City waterfront," said McGreevey, addressing a gathering of approximately 300 guests and dignitaries. "With its accessibility and proximity to New York City, the new Hyatt Regency hotel will allow daily visitors and tourists alike to take advantage of the business and entertainment opportunities here in Jersey City."
Nicholas J. Pritzker, chairman of Hyatt Development Corporation, said the 350-room hotel would create nearly 200 jobs for Jersey City residents and has already begun to employ people from the downtown area. He noted the significance of the newly opened Jersey City Hyatt Regency. "This is the first luxury hotel to service the rapidly growing Jersey City financial community," he said.
Pritzker spoke briefly the Sept. 11 tragedy and said the opening ceremony was dedicated to victims of the terrorist attack. Pritzker added the ceremony was also dedicated to the 150 workers at the new Harborside facility, stating their hard work would make the hotel a success.
Located on the Harborside Financial Center’s south pier, the Hyatt Regency will, along with the 350 guest rooms, have 16 suites, a 165-seat three-meal restaurant with a view of downtown Manhattan, and a 75-seat bar and lounge. The facility was developed as part of a joint venture with Mack-Cali and Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
"The hotel brings Harborside Financial Center another step closer to becoming Jersey City’s ‘city within a city,’" said Mack-Cali CEO Mitchell Hersh. "It will provide our tenants and other area businesses with valuable conference, meeting, and catering services."
"In addition to its exceptional location and view, the hotel will have personalized service and high-tech amenities," Pritzker commented.
The new Hyatt offers guests 20,000 square feet of meeting and conference facilities fully equipped with high-speed Internet access. In addition, the hotel has 6,000 square feet of additional conference space along with a 600-foot Riverview boardroom overlooking the Hudson.
"We wanted to create a hotel that was equal to this unprecedented location," said the hotel’s general manager, Steve White. "Jersey City has developed a large and sophisticated business community. The design and detail evident in this hotel will satisfy the needs of these discerning clients."