BETHESDA, Md. -- HMSHost Corp., a major provider of travel venue dining and shopping, has been awarded a 35-year contract with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to redevelop and operate the Delaware Service Plaza on Interstate 95. DelDOT awarded HMSHost the contract through a competitive RFP process. The company has operated the food and retail concessions at the Delaware Service Plaza under a previous contract since 1963.
DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks said, "Our goal was to create a facility that meets or exceeds the needs of the traveling public by providing essential [image-nocss] travel services that lead to increased safety on our roadways, while showcasing all that our great state has to offer. This new facility has been a long time coming and is a result of HMSHost and all our partners working with us to ensure we are receiving the best investment possible for Delaware residents and the traveling public."
Construction is set to begin in spring 2009. When the new plaza opens in 2010, the facility will be renamed the Delaware Welcome Center. Approximately 250 jobs will be created throughout the 15-month renovation timeframe. When complete, the new Delaware Welcome Center will employ 175 HMSHost associates. Presently, more than three million people annually make the existing plaza a stop on their travel itinerary.
The new Delaware Welcome Center will be an approximately 43,000-square-foot facility that will incorporate many elements of Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standards in design and construction. Energy and water conservation equipment and fixtures will be used throughout the facility in conjunction with local stone and recycled materials.
"HMSHost is committed to making the traveler's day more enjoyable with restaurant favorites like Baja Fresh, Burger King, Famous Famiglia Pizza and Starbucks Coffee and unique retail offerings such as Bijoux Terner and our new Postcards from Delaware and Z Market," said Michael Jones, vice president of business development of HMSHost.
Once inside the new facility, travelers will find a new food and retail lineup, including Baja Fresh Mexican restaurant, Brioche Doré French café, Burger King, Cinnabon/Carvel, Famous Famiglia Pizza and Starbucks. Travelers at the Delaware Welcome Center will benefit from tax-free shopping in Delaware, which is one of only five states without a sales tax.
An assortment of shopping opportunities is offered in three new retail shops: Z Market is an upscale convenience store with a selection of fresh, hot and cold gourmet "foods to go", as well as convenience products, travel items and everyday essentials and offers items that travelers may require on long drives or holiday road trips including regional and national publications, bestseller novels, digital camera accessories, memory flash cards and more; Postcards from Delaware will be home to regional Delaware products that highlight the state's distinctive history, heritage and culture; Brookstone is a nationwide specialty retailer offering an assortment of consumer products and gadgets of high quality and design, many of which are intended specifically for travelers; and Bijoux Terner is a fashion boutique chain specializing in men's and women's accessories for the discerning traveler, a well-known name in retail with one pricepoint—$10—for every product in the store, from handbags and jewelry to scarves, ties, wallets and more.
Facility owner Delaware Department of Transportation will work closely with the Delaware Economic Development office, the Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau and other state and local tourism agencies to create a new Delaware State Visitor Center. Located inside the new Delaware Welcome Center, the state-run Visitor Center will provide information on local and statewide attractions, events and activities.
The Delaware Welcome Center renovation will be complete with an upgrade to the entire parking lot to include a new truck parking area, a new Sunoco gas service station and an A Plus Convenience Store. This site will be environmentally friendly with the addition of 50 spaces of Cabaire truck parking and anti-idle hookups.
Operating more than 100 motorway travel plazas throughout North America, Bethesda, Md.-based HMSHost has annual sales in excess of $2.6 billion and employs more than 33,000 sales associates worldwide. A part of Autogrill S.p.A, HMSHost and the rest of the Autogrill Group are major players in travel restaurants and retail. With sales exceeding 4.8 billion, Autogrill is present in 42 countries with more than 5,300 points of sale in more than 1,200 locations (including 216 airports and 704 motorways) where 68,000 employees serve more than 890 million customers every year.
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