Most of us born before 1990 remember Trans World Airlines (TWA), and if you don’t, the 2004 Hollywood biopic, “Aviator,” about the life of the airline’s founder Howard Hughes will provide quite the refresher.
Even though the airline was acquired in 2001 by American Airlines, its history remained well and alive in the form of the TWA Flight Center, which is currently being restored as a hotel and event center. Located at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the facility will first debut the event space this fall, with the hotel to follow next spring.
Meeting planners can now book the 50,000-sf event space, which touts the same TWA red, white and blue colors. While the 15,000-sf Starstream Ballroom and Flight Center Ballroom are highlights, the additional 200,000 sf of flexible space in the former TWA terminal will provide groups with an impressive space that includes outdoor terraces and an observation deck.
Just like its innovative flight center predecessor, the 512-room TWA Hotel will also push the boundaries of what it means to be an airport hotel, offering both modernity and convenience in one place. The uniqueness of meeting in such an important building for American aviation is also quite a draw, according to Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR and MORSE Development, the hotel’s developer.
“Event attendees will be greeted by the vibrant spirit of 1962, the year the flight center opened, along with modern amenities that make this destination unique,” concludes Morse.
