Marriott to Build Largest Resort in Arizona

Marriott plans to break ground next month on a 950-room, upscale property, which when completed in 2002, will become the largest resort in Arizona. Marriott's Desert Ridge Resort & Spa will feature a 28,000-square-foot spa, a 7,500-square-foot island, two 18-hole golf courses, eight tennis courts, and 10 restaurants. The resort is designed in a contemporary Southwestern style and carries a reported price tag of up to $300 million. When completed, it will supercede the 730-room Arizona Biltmore as Arizona's largest resort. Marriott targets project completion for November 2002.