After almost two years of renovations costing $62 million, the R. David Thomas Executive Conference Center at the Fuqua School of Business reopened Jan. 9 as the James Buchanan Duke Hotel.
The hotel—named after James Buchanan Duke, a tobacco and electricity magnate who founded The Duke Endowment—features 198 guest rooms that overlook the Duke Forest as well as a full-service restaurant, meeting rooms and two bars. Gregg Hilker, general manager of the JB Duke Hotel, noted that the the hotel's management faced difficulties during the opening because of the winter storm last week and snowfall three days prior to the scheduled opening.
“Some challenges with delivery of furniture occurred due to disruption of deliveries across much of the country,” he said.
The hotel is managed by WDI Durham Management Company, the same company that manages the Washington Duke Inn, and is located adjacent to Fuqua.
It will serve as living space for Duke's executive students, such as Fuqua MBA students who visit campus for short periods of time.
Despite the weather, Hilker noted that the opening went well and that he is pleased with the renovated building.
“We have been looking at upgrading the facility for some time,” Fuqua Dean Bill Boulding wrote in an email. “Now with the JB Duke Hotel housing the Thomas Executive Conference Center, we have a state-of-the-art facility that matches our exceptional programs educating business leaders. We feel we are bringing a facility online that meets the standard of excellence Fuqua has established. Beyond Fuqua, we expect it will be a tremendous asset to Duke and Durham.”
Boulding noted that the upgrade to the facilities and addition of 88 guest rooms was a necessary change.
“The old Thomas Center had aged to a point where the facility did not meet the quality expectations of an executive clientele,” he said.
Although the hotel's proximity to Fuqua attracts MBA students, who typically only stay for a few days at a time, Boulding said the hotel is also geared toward welcoming other visitors to campus.
“We do not expect Fuqua usage to dominate use of our new Duke hotel," Boulding said. "We look forward to welcoming the entire Duke community and its visitors for meetings, conferences and overnight stays."
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