Upscale hotel opens in Brier Creek as Triangle grows

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's a big week over at the PNC Arena with three big events in three days including the Hurricanes playoff game against the New Jersey Devils Thursday night.

A new option outside for folks coming in from out of town is the Westin Raleigh-Durham Airport Hotel. It's the second Westin in the entire state.

"I didn't realize this place was two weeks old but I saw it pop up and I'm super excited to come in and try it," said Chris Citraro, who was in town on business from Charleston.

The place has more than 200 rooms.

"There is a need here too because you see a lot of things moving out into RTP, the Apples of the world, and a lot of those companies are growing," said Leon Cox, general manger of the hotel who came over from the Sheraton in Downtown Raleigh to open the Westin a year ago.

"You are still 15-20 minutes away from downtown without traffic and the rooms are important to the market."

Since the Stadium Series in February, Wake County officials and the convention center have spoken about needing more rooms to stage bigger events. New hotels are under construction downtown including a Kimpton where the Holiday is now.

"That's the feel: the luxury piece of it is what Raleigh needed," Cox said, who said the hotel struggled a little with staffing but that's an industry wide trend. Cox said he has experienced managers who brought team members over to help them open in a timely fashion