Brad Whitaker, General Manager, Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel

Brad Whitaker spoke with Invest: about the growth of Florida’s hotel industry and how the Sheraton has positioned itself to capitalize on Jacksonville’s continued development.  “It’s an exciting time to observe the city grow and pivot from being the old Jacksonville to see what the future looks like. It’s interesting to be a part of it, and I’m excited for how the hotel has positioned itself for the future,” he said.

What have been the main highlights for the Sheraton over the last year in Jacksonville?

We’ve been lucky to be successful with customer service, as we prioritize taking care of our guests and building a strong reputation in the market. The Sheraton continues to lead the industry in customer service-oriented hotels. That’s something we take great pride in, and this defines who we are internally. We’re proud of the achievements and accolades we’ve received through these efforts. Jacksonville’s hospitality industry is undergoing a period of immense growth, and there is a lot of new supply coming in regularly. It’s an exciting time to observe the city grow and pivot from being the old Jacksonville to see what the future looks like. It’s interesting to be a part of it, and I’m excited for how the hotel has positioned itself for the future.

Why is the hotel market in Jacksonville so strong, unlike the national trend?

Nationally, everyone has been aware of how Florida is growing, especially with Jacksonville’s market in particular. Many well-renowned businesses have recently arrived in the city, like Dun & Bradstreet, which just moved its corporate offices to Jacksonville. It’s one of those great cities that’s building new business partners and home bases that allows the city to grow. The cost of living is advantageous. With the population boom and corporate demand, I think it’s a great place to build a new hotel. There’ve been ample opportunities downtown and in the southside market to prepare for the expected future growth.

To what extent is the Sheraton benefiting from this growth?

We’re blessed to be in the town center on the southside of Jacksonville, which is the business center. For the last five years we’ve been at the epicenter of Jacksonville’s growth. We have some great legacy companies near us and several new companies moving here because of the central location. The Sheraton is in an amazing location, and we’ve been at the right place at the right time and performing at a high level.

Which of Sheraton’s facilities are in the highest demand from a business standpoint?

The hotel itself is designed perfectly to do corporate training. When the Sheraton was built, it included a steakhouse with an amazing kitchen, so we have the ability to do cuisine when few hotels are equipped for this. We have benefitted from corporate groups, especially with training. We’ve seen weddings, family reunions, military reunions, and it’s been extremely busy over the past several years.

In what ways have client expectations shifted over the past few years, and how is the Sheraton managing these changes?

Technology has become even more important in our guests’ minds, especially being able to operate either via app or through some sort of technological communication. Being part of the Marriott-Bonvoy family allows the Sheraton to specifically address our guests’ needs in that way. Everyone became used to operating remotely and communicating through apps, so we are benefitting from that. Coming out of the pandemic, there was a strong mindset that no one had been able to spend time together, and now everyone wants to meet together in person and rebuild those connections. The Sheraton is positioned as the world’s gathering place, and we offer gatherings to bring our guests together and enjoy being bonded, whether for work or socially.

What are some of the primary challenges in the hotel industry, and how is the Sheraton addressing these challenges?

Due to inflation, some companies are pulling back on their travel spending and families are pulling back to ensure they have disposable income when they need it. Some markets are being affected more than others, and Florida isn’t seeing its previous level of growth due to inflation and because Europe has opened up again for tourism. Being prepared to be the hotel that the guest needs when they’re looking has been one of our focuses.

The industry as a whole is much more aware of the challenges surrounding human trafficking and how we address that. Marriott has been an absolute leader in ensuring the whole industry is prepared to do its part to alleviate trafficking in hotels. This is a huge international concern, and I’m proud of how Marriott has taken the lead in sharing its training with other hotel brands in the interest of the greater good.

How are you leveraging technology to improve client experiences and quality services?

Technology is allowing us to personalize guest experiences, which is what we’re here for. We don’t want it to be a cookie cutter experience for each guest. We want every guest to enjoy the stay based on their needs, and the technology we have with Marriott and with our hotel specifically allows us to know what the guest expectations are before they get here. This includes everything from internet bandwidth, Tesla and EV chargers in the parking lot and ordering meals remotely. We are prepared to meet guests’ needs before they even have to bring them up based on the technology, and I think that’s a huge feat.

What methods have been employed by the Sheraton to guarantee a year-round pipeline of guests?

The biggest thing is to be aware of what the seasonality looks like. In Jacksonville there are travelers in every season, and preparing your hotel to meet those needs within that time period is the biggest necessity. It is imperative to understand there is a transient demand in the city at times, so you must be able to accept that and meet those guests’ needs. When the transient demand is much less, we must position the hotel accordingly so we can meet our guests’ pricing needs.

What growth opportunities will the Sheraton pursue in the near future?

Jacksonville has plans to meet the needs of sports and leisure travel moving forward. The city is working with a sports council to partner with the Jaguars in development of a new stadium. This will bring in various concerts, sporting events and conventions, which will position the city to be a leader in the South for events.

Jacksonville continues to grow, and there many hotels coming to the market. The Sheraton specifically is planning to meet the growing needs from the community as the Mayo Clinic and local hospitals grow. Jacksonville is becoming one of the leading medical centers of the Southeast, and we are also one of the national leaders for logistics, so between these two industries, Jacksonville is fostering growth which will in turn support growth of our hotel industry.