Atrium Hospitality names Larry Cooper regional director of operations, GM of Embassy Suites in Rogers

Atrium Hospitality has officially announced the promotion of Larry Cooper as the new general manager of Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas in Rogers.

Cooper replaces David Lang, who was let go this past May following an ownership change for the hotel and the adjoining John Q. Hammons Center.

The Business Journal first reported both moves in May.

The 400-suite hotel and 125,000-square-foot convention center, the largest hospitality asset in Northwest Arkansas, are now owned by JD Holdings, a New York investment firm. Atrium Hospitality, a JD Holdings affiliate based in Alpharetta, Ga., assumed management of the property.

The 20-acre property had previously belonged to Missouri-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts Inc.  Its eponymous founder died in May 2013 at the age of 94, which, according to Lang, triggered a years-long dispute that came to a conclusion earlier this year. Part of the legal wrangling included a bankruptcy filing in June 2016. A judge approved the settlement agreement in April, stipulating JQH would sell its remaining 35 hotels and other assets.

Cooper’s promotion also includes serving as a regional director of operations responsible for five Atrium hotels representing 960 rooms/suites. In addition to the Rogers property, Cooper will be responsible for regional operations at the following Atrium Hospitality properties in Arkansas and Missouri:

• 206-room/suite Holiday Inn Springdale;
• 102-room/suite Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale;
• 138-room/suite Courtyard Fort Smith Downtown; and
• 114-room/suite Residence Inn Joplin in Missouri

“I look forward to being a part of the Rogers community, as we work together to show the world what Rogers and Benton County have to offer, while also ensuring we are harnessing our area’s diverse talent resources through collaborative training,” Cooper said in a statement.

Over the course of three decades, according to a news release, Cooper has managed hotels and resorts in several locations including Alaska, Texas and the Caribbean, among others. Most recently, he was general manager at World Golf Village Renaissance Resort, an Atrium Hospitality property in St. Augustine, Fla. The 301-room/suite resort features more than 100,000 square feet of event space and is recipient of the 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence designation.

Cooper’s experience with the Embassy Suites brand dates back to 1990. Prior to his St. Augustine assignment, he was general manager at the 283-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Hotel, Conference & Spa in Texas.

The Embassy Suites in Rogers opened in May 2003, then expanded to 400 suites in July 2007 with the addition of a 152-room spa tower, built to accommodate the adjacent convention center.