Check out Rosen Hotel’s newest addition: a skybridge! On March 1st 2013,  Rosen Hotels announced their plans to build a skybridge that connects the Rosen Plaza and the Orange County Convention Center West Building. We are pleased to announce The Gary Sain Memorial Skybridge just opened on September 19, 2013. The bridge will provide thousands of meetings attendees annually with a safe, weather-proof and traffic-free “commute” from their Rosen Plaza guestrooms to the convention center.

Picture via Rosen Hotels. To read more about the opening visit: RosenHotels.com

The skybridge is dedicated and named after former President & CEO of Visit Orlando Gary Sain, who passed away in May 2012.  Gary Sain left a true legacy on the city of Orlando,  he helped positioned Orlando as one of the top destinations in the world. 

When Gary passed away, the tourism and hospitality industry paid massive tribute to him. This bridge is a testament to his work and his honor. The Orlando Sentinel quoted Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton on Gary’s impact to the industry: “Gary’s leadership enabled Orlando to remain the world’s top tourist destination during challenging times, and he leaves a legacy that we can build upon for years to come,” she said in a prepared statement.

In 2010, Orlando attracted an estimated 51.5 million visitors in a single calendar year, beating New York City to become the first U.S. travel destination to surpass the 50 million mark. The region expects to top 55 million when its final tally for 2012 is released in a few weeks.

The project costs $3 million and paid for in-full by the Rosen Hotel. According to their website. The new skybridge comes on the heels of other recent improvements at Rosen Plaza. In the past year, the hotel completed a floor-to-ceiling renovation of all 800 guest rooms.