Irvine Co. to manage Four Seasons hotel

The Irvine Co. announced Thursday the firm is poised to take over

management of the Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach. The luxury

property is expected have a new name soon. Specifics of the agreement

between Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the Irvine

Co. were not disclosed. The Irvine Co., headquartered near the

high-rise Four Seasons in Newport Center, is expected to take control

Oct. 31.

In an e-mail message, Kathleen Taylor, Four Seasons’ president of

worldwide business operations, said it is unusual for Four Seasons to

leave a hotel before a contract expires. The company has plans to

open two new hotels in California outside of Orange County in the

near future, she said.

The Irvine Co. owns two hotels and plans to build a third. In

July, the company announced it would manage the Pelican Hill at

Newport Coast resort, which is scheduled to open in 2008.

Taking control of the Newport Center hotel was a logical follow-up

to plans to keep the Pelican Hill resort’s management in-house,

according to Clarence Barker, group president of Irvine Co.

investment properties.

Direct management of the Newport Center hotel will allow the

Irvine Co. to promote the property in tandem with the Pelican Hill

resort as well as with the company’s shopping centers and golf

courses.

“I think it’s probably focused on this whole coastal resort

mind-set,” Barker said.

The Irvine Co.’s new president of resort properties, Terry Petty,

said he preferred to create a new image for the Newport Center hotel

at the same time the company establishes a reputation for the planned

Pelican Hill resort.

The Irvine Co. has pegged Hans Maissen to become the Newport

Center hotel’s next general manager. For the past two years, Maissen

was the Irvine Co.’s general manager of golf properties. Before

joining the Irvine Co., he worked for the Windsor Court Hotel in New

Orleans as managing director.

The Irvine Co.’s decision to put Maissen in charge of the Newport

Center hotel got a thumbs up from Marta Hayden, executive director of

the Newport Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau.

“He’s very well credentialed,” she said.

A spa was added to the Newport Center hotel earlier this year, and

the hotel’s guest rooms and lobby have also been refurbished. Barker

said new landscaping has yet to be completed.

Maissen said he does not have any major plans to alter the hotel.

“I think of it as having a great cake and adding a little cream on

top,” he said.

The hotel’s current employees will be able to interview with the

Irvine Co. to keep their jobs, Barker said.

Barker also said Fashion Island employees were able to do the same

when the Irvine Co. took control of the shopping center last year.