MetroNational Buys CityCentre Hotel, Market briefs

In Houston, MetroNational has expanded its hospitality portfolio with the purchase of The Moran Hotel in a deal that further adds to the company’s CityCentre holdings.

The 244-room hotel, located just south of the Katy Freeway at 800 Sorella Court, was purchased in a joint venture with Rockbridge in a transaction brokered by JLL Capital Markets, as stated by MetroNational.

Rockbridge, an investment firm based in Columbus, Ohio, has been growing its Texas hospitality portfolio. The company, in partnership with the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Trust, purchased the historic Menger Hotel and the Crockett Hotel in San Antonio last year. The firm also bought the Overton Hotel in Lubbock last year and the Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District in 2024.

Developed by Midway, the 12-story Moran Hotel overlooks CityCentre’s central plaza surrounded by restaurants, stores, and office buildings. The property opened as Hotel Sorella in 2009 and was rebranded in 2019 to honor Midway’s founder, Jim Moran.

Midway implemented a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2024 that brought new furnishings, lighting, updates to the entrance, lobby, meeting space, fitness center, and restaurant.

The Moran is one of 25 AAA Four Diamond hotels in Houston. The designation recognizes more than 1,700 upscale, stylish hotels nationwide.

The deal comes as Houston’s hospitality market posted gains across the board in March, as stated by STR/Houston First Corp. Hotel occupancy reached 69.9% in March, up 3.3% compared to March 2025. Average daily rates were up 8.3% over the year to $144. Room night demand stood at 2.3 million, up 3.9% over the year.

Hotel Moran puts a third hotel in Houston-based MetroNational’s hospitality portfolio. MetroNational owns and developed the 289-room The Westin Memorial City 159-room Hotel ZaZa Memorial City.

The deal further expands the company’s holdings in CityCentre, a 47-acre pedestrian-oriented multi-use district at the southeast corner of the Katy Freeway and Beltway 8 in west Houston. Last year, MetroNational purchased the 309,144-SF retail component of CityCentre and 990 Town & Country Blvd., a 442,042-SF, Class AA office tower in separate transactions. Boardwalk Pipelines will relocate its headquarters to four floors of the 15-story tower this fall.

CityCentre’s latest office building, CityCentre Six, recently welcomed its first tenant, Dow. Companies are choosing new office buildings in walkable settings with hotels and restaurants nearby.

MetroNational’s recent buying spree includes a stake in M-K-T Heights, a 218,000-SF adaptive reuse development in The Heights.