VILLAGE HOTEL GRAND OPENING IS TODAY

SpringHill Suites by Marriott, the latest addition to the Old Dominion University Village, will celebrate its grand opening today.

A ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. will officially open the new facility, which features 114 suites and a 24-hour business center. An invitation-only reception, with food and drinks provided by local restaurants, and tours will follow, said general manager Linda Komornik. Proceeds from a silent auction and cash bar will be donated to Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.

Also during the opening festivities, BBL, the Albany, N.Y., construction and development firm that built and owns the hotel, will announce a gift to Old Dominion in the form of a $50,000 scholarship endowment. The awards will go to outstanding participants from Old Dominion's Lambert's Point Summer Program, which offers educational and recreational activities for children and teens who live in the neighborhood just south of the campus.

"I'm thrilled about our new partnership with Old Dominion University and the University Village," Komornik said.

The ODU SpringHill Suites by Marriott is located at 4500 Hampton Blvd., next to the Ted Constant Convocation Center. In addition to its suites and business center, the hotel has an indoor swimming pool and spa, among other amenities, and offers a free breakfast buffet for guests. It also features the Monarch Sports Grille, which is open for lunch, dinner and room service, and has 20 flat-screen televisions.

Robert L. Fenning, ODU's vice president for administration and finance, views the new hotel as an important cornerstone for both the University Village and Old Dominion. "I'm proud of this latest addition to the enrichment of our university life," he said. "This hotel will be a catalyst in bringing new business to Hampton Boulevard."

For more information, visit www.springhillodu.com.