The Highlander – Radford University Hotel and Conference Center

Demolition began in April 2021 to clear a site for The Highlander, a planned upscale hotel to be constructed off Radford University’s main campus. The project is a joint effort between the university and its foundation. It will be located at the intersection of Tyler Avenue and Calhoun Street, where four existing structures are currently being razed. Demolition is scheduled to be completed by the end of May and construction will immediately follow. This world-class hotel is slated for completion and opening in 2023.

“The Highlander is a game changer for Radford University, the City of Radford, the New River Valley and the Roanoke Valley. Without question, this hotel project is a credit to the many individuals who devoted a significant amount of expertise and time to developing a design centered on high-quality finishes and the overall guest experience. At the same time, internal stakeholders and external partners were equally focused on creating limitless opportunities and significant benefits for the local community. The University is proud to be a leading partner with the Radford University Foundation, in addition to Preston Hollow Capital, S.B. Ballard Construction Company, Blur Workshop and Aimbridge Hospitality, on what promises to be one of the most significant economic development projects in recent years,” said University President Brian O. Hemphill.

The Highlander, estimated at 125 rooms, will be a six-story structure designed to reflect the local region and its rich history, as well as Radford University’s tradition of hard work. In addition, it will provide amenities not available at current area hotels, such as a stunning rooftop steakhouse and bar that will overlook campus with a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A highlight of the structure will be a 4,000-square-foot conference space that will accommodate 250-300 people, allowing the University to potentially host large-scale events, such as business expos and conferences, it could not accommodate in the past. The lobby level will also include a visitor center, a coffee shop and a 500 square foot private dining room for up to 20 people. In total, the Hotel will include 12,350 square feet of function space.

“This hotel is going to attract people to Radford who might have, in the past, looked at staying outside of the city. A 4-star hotel, it is going to be a destination,” said John Cox, chief executive officer of the Radford University Foundation. “We believe it is going to generate a lot of activity downtown. That will be great for our local economy.”

The Highlander will include:
• Six-stories
• 88,000 gross square-feet
• 125 Guest Rooms (including 4 suites)
• Lobby Level with a Visitor Center, Coffee Shop and a 500 square-foot private dining room for up to 20 people
• Conference Center including a 4,000-square-foot ballroom/conference space that will accommodate 250-300 people with an additional 2,000 square-feet of pre-function space
• Rooftop level steakhouse and bar which includes a rooftop terrace and rooftop event terrace
• On-Site Parking

Additional Project Information: Radford Hotel & Conference Center

The team of private companies Radford University and the Radford University Foundation have partnered with to deliver this project include:
• S.B. Ballard Construction Company, as the general contractor;
• Blur Workshop, of Atlanta, as the designer;
• Preston Hollow Capital, as the capital partner; and
• Aimbridge Hospitality, the largest third-party management company in the U.S., as the manager of the hotel.

The Hotel will be owned, operated and principally used by Provident Group – Radford Properties LLC (“Provident SPE”), a special purpose entity created solely for the project, for the benefit of Radford University and the Foundation.

By adding the hotel, the university hopes to provide an engaging and welcoming environment.
“We are excited to welcome a new world-class hotel to the City of Radford on Tyler Avenue. This facility will serve as a great complement to the hotels and restaurants in Radford and will provide options currently unavailable to guests and citizens alike. The rooftop restaurant will offer unmatched views of not only the campus, but the beautiful vistas of the City of Radford and the New River Valley. The economic impact of bringing this new business to Radford will be tremendous, and we will benefit as a community not only from the outstanding amenities that this new hotel and conference center will provide, but also in the jobs and revenue that will be generated. Businesses across Radford will benefit from the guests joining us who presently stay outside the city and with the special events and conferences that will come to our community once the facility opens. This is a big win for our fair city and another great step as we revitalize and support the business community in Radford,” said City of Radford Mayor David Horton.

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