TIM SCHOON/Standard-Examiner IN THE FAMILY: Randy Hulce, president and CEO of Sunstone Hotel Properties, Inc., chats with people who attended the dedication of the new Marriott Hotel in Ogden on Tuesday. Hulce and other dignitaries were on hand to officially welcome the hotel into the Marriott family. Local hotel celebrates changes Ogden Marriott ceremony marks alterations, name change By BRICE WALLACE_ Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN - Its makeover and name change complete, the Ogden Marriott Hotel on Tuesday hosted its own coming-out party. The grand opening of the 16-year-old building as a Marriott had a plethora of wide-ranging features, including live music, a flag ceremony, a Christmas tree, gingerbread houses, ice sculptures and fine food. But the common theme among dignitaries from government, the military, Marriott International and hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. was praise for the building's $6 million, top-to-bottom renovation and its name switch from Best Western to Marriott. "The investment by Sunstone Properties turned a worn and dated hotel into the wonderful product you see here today," hotel General Manager Jim Abbott told the crowd of about 200 people. "We're glad to be here and we think the community is glad to have us also." The hotel is the first ever Marriott for the city, although company founder J. Willard Marriott was born in the Marriott community in Weber County. He left Utah and started his path of building a corporate empire from a single drive-in restaurant in Washington, D.C, in 1927. The renovated hotel has 292 sleeping rooms, plus convention and meeting space and other amenities. Wadman Construction of Ogden recently completed the project, which began in early February. The Ogden Marriott was among hotel properties Sunstone purchased last fall from Kahler Realty Corp. It is one of three Utah hotels that Sunstone has converted to Marriotts - the others are in Provo and Salt Lake City - and the Olympia Park Hotel will become a Marriott later this year. "We recognized the tremendous potential these hotels would have," said Randy Hulce, president and chief executive officer of Sunstone Hotel Properties Inc.Hulce said he was proud of 478 the newly renovated building and pleased to have it be "part of a city that continues to make changes through economic development." Doug Watson, vice president of operations for Marriott International, also noted that the hotel had undergone significant changes during the renovation, and Hulce said much work was needed to meet Marriott's nothing-but-the-best standard. "You don't just become a Marriott because you want to be one," Hulce said. Ogden Mayor Glenn Mecham talked about J. Willard Marriott's legacy and how the hotel conversion reflects on the city. "We are so pleased the Marriott flag is here flying over Ogden and Weber County," Mecham said. "It symbolizes that a major international operation recognizes the stability and future of our area." Contact business writer Brice Wallace at 625-4245 or e-mail bwallace@standard.net.