What happened: Community leaders, local investors, Omni Hotels & Resorts executives, and city officials gathered Tuesday, March 31, for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Omni Midland hotel in the heart of downtown Midland, 300 W. Texas Ave., marking the start of a long-anticipated downtown project years in the making.

The big picture: Downtown Midland has been transformed over the past decade through major investments in Centennial Park and the Bush Convention Center. Built on a site that sat largely vacant for decades, the Omni Midland represents the next step in that revitalization.

The Omni Midland will feature 143 guest rooms but is designed with amenities scaled for much higher traffic, comparable to a 500-room property. Plans include Bob’s Steak & Chop House and another full-service restaurant, a lobby bar, a coffee shop, a resort-style pool with day passes for locals, a full-service spa, a fitness area, event spaces, retail, and 800 new public parking spaces.

Go deeper: The project is public-private partnership with public funds representing about 35% of the total cost, and 65% coming from private investment, including more than a dozen local investors and companies. The hotel should open late 2027 or early 2028.

Key project insights include:

  • About $160 million total investment
  • $67 million projected return over 20 years
  • $24.8 million in new revenue for Midland ISD
  • 800 additional public parking spaces

The hotel is expected to help Midland attract larger conferences and major events, capture more business and leisure travel that currently goes elsewhere, and support the downtown economy, including local restaurants, shops, and other businesses.

What they’re saying: “This is the next logical step to be able to resource our convention center well,” Mayor Lori Blong said. “This will help us to slingshot into that trajectory of larger events.” “A lot of these things will be available for Midlanders to come down and enjoy,” she added. “We’ll have a great place for staycations and for families to get to come down and enjoy the afternoon or a long weekend.”

Mary Ann Beninati, Scharbauer Foundation President and CEO, tied the project to Midland’s history, noting that Clarence Scharbauer broke ground on the original Scharbauer Hotel just two blocks away about 100 years ago. As the hotel became worn down and was removed, she said it left a space to fill. “It was time to bring something really nice as a landmark,” Beninati said.

Omni Hotels & Resorts President Kurt Alexander emphasized Midland’s importance to the brand and the company’s commitment to delivering genuine Texas hospitality in a hotel that feels connected to the community.