PRESS RELEASE – 21c Museum Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Emmanuel Gardinier to the position of General Manager of 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, opening the first quarter of 2013. Gardinier brings over 25 years of experience, with a strong background in managing award-winning luxury and branded properties. In this role he will be responsible for overseeing all hotel operations, sales, and community and guest relations.
Gardinier’s experience spans all areas of the hospitality business including sales, food and beverage, IT management, and marketing. Prior to joining 21c, Gardinier was Managing Director for the Planters Inn in Charleston, SC. During his time there the Relais and Chateaux property was named to Travel + Leisure magazine’s prestigious World’s Best list. Before that he was the General Manager of Little Palm Island Resort and Spa, an exclusive private island resort in the Florida Keys, where he boosted overall property revenue and overhauled sales and marketing strategies. Gardinier, originally from Paris, has managed hotels around the world from Lausanne, Switzerland to Reims, France and the French West Indies.
“There is a true sense of community in Bentonville that is quite remarkable, and very inviting. It is exciting to see all of the fantastic things going on there, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is an incredible attraction for the region. Bentonville is home to people from all over the world and has cultural attractions that compete with big cities. I’m thrilled to be part of 21c and look forward to its exhibitions that will highlight artists from around the world alongside regional artists,” says Gardinier.
21c Museum Hotels President Craig Greenberg says, “Emmanuel’s accessible management style and philosophy that luxury is about comfort and creating a warm, personable environment fits perfectly with 21c’s approach. His wide-ranging experience and proven track record of results will be critical for the successful launch of 21c Bentonville and beyond.”
Gardinier will be based out of the 21c Museum Hotel pre-opening office at 207 NE 2nd St while the property is under construction. The office will also include a gallery space and will provide a preview of contemporary art from the 21c collection. Gardinier will be spending time both at the corporate headquarters in Louisville and in Bentonville until early July. The pre-opening gallery will be open for a sneak peak the weekend of June 1–3, 2012.
About 21c Museum Hotel
21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, opening in 2013, is a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and restaurant modeled after the award-winning 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Building on its mission of engaging the public with contemporary art and supporting the revitalization of American downtowns, the heart of 21c Bentonville will be 12,000 square feet of museum, meeting and event space. The museum exhibits the work of living artists and is open free of charge to the public. An outdoor sculpture garden will complement the interior museum galleries. These spaces serve as a key link in the emerging arts promenade that connects downtown Bentonville to the brand new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Architect Deborah Berke’s design integrates extensive natural lighting throughout the 100,000 square foot property, which will also feature a 125-seat restaurant, spacious ballroom and state-of-the-art meeting and conference rooms as well as outdoor spaces for private functions. The hotel will incorporate 104 guest rooms—including a one-bedroom 21c Suite with a terrace—that embrace the founders’ ethos of “living with art.”
About 21c Museum Hotels
Founded in 2007, 21c Museum Hotels is a growing company that oversees the expansion and management of 21c Museum Hotel nationally. 21c Museum Hotel was founded in Louisville, Kentucky by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, philanthropists and arts patrons, who had a vision for bringing art into people’s daily lives and supporting the revitalization of their hometown. The property combines a 90-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, award-winning restaurant, and cultural civic center in the heart of downtown Louisville. With 9,000 square feet of art-filled meeting and event space, 21c guests enjoy authentic Southern hospitality while exploring the work of contemporary artists in North America’s only museum dedicated solely to art of the 21st Century. Voted among the top 10 hotels in the world in 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Awards, 21c Museum Hotel is redefining the art of hospitality. Due to the success of the Louisville property and with strong local partners who share the belief that art can be an economic driver for a community, 21c is expanding outside of Louisville. Hotels are under construction in Bentonville, AR and Cincinnati, OH and the company plans to develop 15 properties over the next five to ten years.
For press information contact:
Molly Swyers
21c Museum Hotels
502.582.6300 x113
mswyers@21cHotels.com
