MIAMI -- Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, marks a new milestone as Virgin Hotels breaks ground with Dunhill Partners and Gatehouse Capital on Virgin Hotels Dallas. The groundbreaking ceremony, held on location on Monday, October 17, marks Virgin Hotels' second property currently under construction, behind Virgin Hotels New York City. Virgin Hotels Dallas will open its doors at the end of 2018.

Located in the up-and-coming Design District on Hi Line Dr. and Turtle Creek Blvd., Virgin Hotels Dallas will deliver a one-of-a-kind hotel experience in one of Virgin's favorite destinations (Virgin America has been flying to the city since 2010). The hotel will feature more than 200 Chambers, including Grand Chamber Suites, and will multiple dining and drinking outlets, including a pool deck and bar, a rooftop lounge, and the brand's flagship space, The Commons Club.

"We couldn't have found a more perfect city than Dallas and a more perfect neighborhood than the Design District to continue our expansion of Virgin Hotels across America," said Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels. "We're so excited to welcome guests and locals alike to experience all that our brand has to offer – from elevated cuisine and cocktails to comfortable and spacious Chambers for work, sleep and play."

To commemorate the groundbreaking, Virgin Hotels, in conjunction with Dunhill Partners, threw a party for the ages, inviting key development partners, investors and the general public to celebrate in the arrival of the hotel. Signature cocktails were created by Deep Eddy Vodka and Patron Tequila, while popular Dallas-based food trucks For The Love of Pizza, Auntie Am's and Butcher's Son provided food options. Sir Richard Branson rode in on horseback with Miss Texas 2016 Caroline Carothers before being welcomed by the Dallas Maverick Dancers, who entertained the crowd along with the Carson McHone Band all night. After a few brief speeches, Sir Richard led the crowd in a complimentary Champagne toast provided by Moët & Chandon.

Virgin Hotels Dallas will be a new build located within the 33 acres that developer Dunhill Partners and its founder, Bill Hutchinson, acquired in 2014. The hotel will be in smashing good company as the district boasts world-class furniture showrooms, avant-garde art galleries, museums, antique shops and an influx of buzz worthy new restaurants and shops. Dunhill Partners has chosen Gatehouse Capital to develop Virgin Hotels Dallas.

The brand's first hotel, Virgin Hotels Chicago, is now open and accepting reservations at www.virginhotels.com, with Nashville, Palm Springs and New York slated to open next. Virgin Hotels continues to explore properties in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Miami,Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington DC, and London; locations where it is pursuing hotel and office conversions and ground-up development.

About Virgin Hotels

Virgin Hotels is a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service and a personalized hotel experience inspired by the innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson's global Virgin Group has pioneered for over 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music, design, and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. The current portfolio includes five hotels—Virgin Hotels Chicago, Virgin Hotels Dallas, Virgin Hotels Nashville, Virgin Hotels New Orleans, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and newly launched Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. Locations in Glasgow and New York City are scheduled to debut in 2023, followed by Miami and Denver in 2025 as well as the launch of Virgin Residences. In addition, Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel, conversions, and ground-up development in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, Seattle, London, and more.

About Virgin Limited Edition

Virgin Limited Edition is an award-winning collection of unique retreats, chosen for their beautiful locations and magnificent surroundings; each offers a sense of fun, style, luxury, and exceptional personal service. The group includes Necker Island and Moskito Island in the Caribbean's British Virgin Islands, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, The Lodge in Verbier, Mahali Mzuri, a tented safari camp in Kenya, Mont Rochelle Hotel and Mountain Vineyard in South Africa, and the Son Bunyola Estate in Mallorca. Please visit www.virginlimitededition.com for more details.

Christine Choi
Virgin Management USA, Inc.
(212) 497-9059
Virgin Hotels