"Our nation's capital attracts more than 33 million visitors annually but it is underserved as a destination market," Gaylord Hotels executive vice president and COO Jay D. Sevigny notes. "Gaylord National's location in Prince George's County will enable even the largest associations and organizations to conduct business in our nation's capital and entertain their members in spectacular fashion."

When all is said and done, Gaylord National will feature 400,000 sf of exhibition and meeting space, 1,500 upscale hotel rooms, a 20,000-sf spa and fitness center and a private marina. There will also be a large selection of dining facilities, as well as an unspecified amount of retail space.

Located at the foot of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge off the I-295//I-95 exchange in Prince George's County, the facility will boast a location that is easily accessible from Washington, DC and Baltimore, as well as from the neighboring major airports; the property sits just 15 minutes from Reagan National Airport and 45 minutes from Washington Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International.

Gaylord Hotels has similar luxury meeting facilities in Orlando, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Nashville, and its decision to build in Prince George's County was influenced by two factors, one of which was the location. The second vital factor was the county itself. "We have gotten outstanding cooperation from Prince George's County officials," Gaylord Hotels' Greg Rossiter tells GlobeSt.com. "Among other things, they approved two bond measures this summer that will assist in making this project possible."

Rossiter says a groundbreaking date has not yet been scheduled, but that work should begin in early 2005 to reach a targeted 2008 completion date.