Courtyard Marriott opens in Newark, as other hotels look to city’s business district

A Courtyard by Marriott is opening today in Newark, marking the first hotel opening in the city’s downtown area in more than a decade.

The 150-room, $35 million project increases the number of hotel rooms in the business district of New Jersey’s largest city by more than a third, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Courtyard won’t be the city’s only new hotel, either: Developers are converting a nearby bank building into a boutique Hotel Indigo and another major hotel operator is looking to establish a franchise in the city as well, the Journal reported.

The hotels will test Newark’s viability as a destination, rather than just a cheaper alternative to New York City. The city has sought to shed its gritty reputation and revive its downtown. City leaders hope that a handful of other amenities — including Marriott amenities (a bistro and a Starbucks) and a new row of restaurants near the Prudential Center — will fuel downtown growth. [WSJ] — Jane Timm