About 40 representatives from the media, communications, and design industries attended a champagne reception at the Shangri-La Presentation Centre Monday to mark a construction milestone in the development of the Toronto tower, a 66-storey hotel and residence on University Avenue. “This really is to let Toronto know that this project is an absolute go. In fact, the crane arrived on site on Sunday,” said Jill Killeen, director of communications for the new Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver.
"Tonight we have a combination of great people in Toronto, people that we hope to partner with and work with in the years to come,” Killeen said. “We’re essentially three years away. We have just opened Vancouver, so this is a combination of celebrating the debut of Shangri-La in North America—with the Vancouver opening—and then to celebrate the construction [here in Toronto]."
Guests sipped Moët & Chandon champagne as servers passed hors d'oeuvres from Couture Cuisine & Event Artistry. "It really is more of a social cocktail reception," Killeen said. "It really is [an opportunity] to mix with some of our potential partners and for us to say, 'We’re here and we’re thrilled to be here.'"
Stephen Darling, general manager of the Vancouver hotel, mingled with guests and discussed the Toronto development, which is slated for occupancy in spring 2012.
