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A Midway Road landmark that sat vacant for nearly five years welcomed its first guests this week after a ribbon cutting Thursday morning that drew Addison elected officials, the developer, and the team that pulled off one of the more ambitious hotel renovations in the area's recent history.
"This is a day we've been waiting for for a long time," Mayor Bruce Arfsten said at the ceremony. Council members Marlin Williamson and Randy Smith attended, as did former Mayor Joe Chow.
The property at 14315 Midway Road has cycled through a few identities. Built in 1984, it originally operated as a Harvey Hotel before being rebranded as the Crowne Plaza Dallas Near Galleria-Addison. The Crowne Plaza closed in 2020. Now it's Hotel Dax, named for the Dallas Addison Exchange, and it's part of the Marriott Bonvoy network.
Centurion American Development Group, led by Mehrdad Moayedi, acquired the property and undertook a top-to-bottom renovation. Centurion gutted the interior while keeping the building's exterior structure largely intact, including its signature glass ceiling.
Chris Zielke, Centurion American's project lead for Hotel Dax, was credited repeatedly for his hands-on approach. "Chris has been here every single hour of every single day," said James Alexander, the hotel's assistant general manager. "He is very talented. He has a design eye."
The 429-room property is a big bet on Addison's hospitality market. "We knew that in this market, or in any other market, it's hard to fill that many rooms," Zielke said Thursday. The response from the developer: overdeliver on amenities at a competitive price point.
"We're going to make it the best hotel for the rates," said Leobardo Trevino, executive vice president of commercial development.
The new food-and-beverage lineup is central to the repositioning. Top Brass, helmed by Chef Dustin Lee, is the hotel's flagship restaurant. "We wanted the restaurant to be something great for hotel guests or just for locals," Zielke said. The lineup also includes Bar Dax, a social bar, and Brewed, a coffee shop and grab-and-go market. A resort-style pool is open to the public as well as hotel guests, and the fitness center was built to exceed what you'd typically find in a property this size.
The hotel also features a TopGolf Swing Suite and nearly 32,000 square feet of redesigned meeting space.
General Manager Erik Pedersen summed up the moment at the ribbon cutting. "We did it!" he said, and then, holding up the front door key: "This is the front door key. We'll never need this again."
Zielke said the goal was always to build something the whole community could claim. "Something everyone in our community could be proud of."
Hotel Dax is open 24/7 at 14315 Midway Road in Addison. Reservations are available through the Marriott Bonvoy network at hoteldaxaddison.com.
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