The Westin Phoenix Downtown opened on Thursday in One Central Park East, at 333 North Central Avenue, a 26-story building initially designed as Grade A office space.
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One Central Park East’s top floors are occupied by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., but the rest of the building remained empty due to the economic downturn. The owners, the National Electrical Benefit Fund, were forced to think of a different use.
Ryan Whitaker, director of equity investments for National Real Estate Advisors, which manages investments for the National Electrical Benefit Fund, told the Arizona Republic, “In 2009, at the depths of the recession, we were coming to [the Westin] with a shell building that was already in place and the financing to build out the hotel.
“We were, so to speak, the prettiest girl at the dance.”
The new hotel has 242 guest rooms of 540 square feet or bigger. It also boasts a 10,316-square-foot meeting space, a fitness centre, a business centre, and valet parking.
Debra Barton, the general manager of the hotel, said that the new Westin will try to carve out a niche in Phoenix, and be different from the huge downtown hotels that are mainly used for conventions.
“We are targeting individual business and leisure travellers, smaller upscale corporate meetings, and more intimate social galas and weddings”, she said.
“Our Executive Club provides an even higher level of amenities in its private relaxation lounge with dramatic city and mountain views.”
Currently, Westin operates over 120 hotels in 24 countries. Westin claims that it is the first hotel chain to offer guest credit cards and personal voicemail in every room.
Editor’s notes: In 2016, Marriott International acquired the parent company of Westin Hotels, Starwood.
As of May 2023, Marriott continued to operate the Westin Phoenix Downtown at 333 North Central Avenue.
In March 2024, it was reported that Freeport-McMoRan was looking to sublease its 250,000-square-foot headquarters at One Central Park East, also known as the Freeport-McMoRan Center, and move to a downsized hub on the edge of town during a shift to hybrid work.
In January 2026, it was reported that Foundation 333 had bought the office portion of One Central Park East that Freeport-McMoRan occupied.
The lower half of the tower, occupied by the 242-room Westin Phoenix Downtown hotel, was not included in the sale.
In July 2026, Freeport-McMoRan’s corporate headquarters were listed as 4340 E. Cotton Center Boulevard, Phoenix, on its corporate website.