Hotel Opens First Downtown Atlanta Heliport

3/10/2009
11Alive.com - by Bill Liss
Email: bliss@wxia.gannett.com
Website: http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=127839&catid=40

ATLANTA -- With 237 rooms to fill and 74 condos to sell, the Downtown Atlanta W Hotel is adding another luxury to draw in business.

It's a rooftop helipad and helicopter service to give downtowners quick access to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, along with offering a full menu of aerial tours.

But getting to and from the Airport isn't cheap. It's a $200 tab one-way for up to three people.

"We're providing charter service, air taxi service to the W from various airports, making it from Hartsfield-Jackson it's a very short ride of five to six minutes," said Mike Russell, President of Prestige Helicopters, the Company running the service. "You take normal rush hour traffic where a ride from the W by ground should be 20-to-30 minutes could be 45 minutes with a bad accident."

But in the current economy, extra time on the road won't make you the center of cocktail talk, but it will be a lot cheaper.

A taxi from Hartsfield Jackson to Downtown Atlanta is $30, while a limo ride will be anywhere from $70 to $100.

If you have extra cash to spend, the helicopter service can give the sightseer an edge on memories.

"A father called for his daughter's 16th birthday party, and we're going to bring a group six down to the W in two trips," Russell said.

Hal Barry, the developer of the W Residences, says that even in a serious economic downturn, the helipad can boost sales, now with only ten condos under contract out of a total of 74.

"It gives us a great hook in the marketplace today. For the active people who need to be there quickly and less hassle, it works," he said.

Will it work? Keep looking up.

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