Tony Award Winner Kelli O'Hara Headlines Virginia Arts Fundraiser in Norfolk

This weekend, Hilton Norfolk THE MAIN played host to Hampton Roads' supporters of the arts with THE MAIN Event: A Weekend Celebration for the Arts presented by TowneBank. Starting with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and followed with a full schedule of visual and performing art experiences throughout the weekend, including Saturday Headliner Kelli O'Hara, The Main Event closed out the weekend with an oversizEd Check presentation to the Business Consortium for Arts Support in the amount of $581,000.

"We're extremely pleased to have played host to such an amazing weekend of events, one that raised both funds and awareness of local art programs," said Gold Key | PHR CEO Bruce Thompson. "I think this weekend helped cement Norfolk as the center of culture for the Hampton Roads area, and we're honored to have been part of it."

Friday evening, former Mayor Paul Fraim was joined by Gold Key | PHR CEO, Bruce Thompson, current Mayor Kenneth Cooper Anderson, and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe who addressed weekend guests at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Paul Fraim Center for Excellence. Afterwards, guests were invited to a private reception hosted by Governor McAuliffe and First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe. Throughout the night guests were treated to live entertainment including a swing band dance party and a dinner theatre performance by the Virginia Stage Company and Norfolk State University.

On Saturday, guests had the opportunity to tour the hotel property with exclusive looks at hotel suites, public spaces, restaurants, and even the inner workings of the property. The Exchange at THE MAIN played host to pop-up art galleries where patrons could view pieces from local art organizations including interactive displays, video art, vibrant stage costumes, and even an over-sized Plinko game. In addition to the visual arts, live performances by I. SHerman Greene Chorale, the Hurrah Players, and the Virginia Stage Company took place in the properties new state-of-the-art ballrooms.

Tony Award winner, Kelli O'Hara, who was accompanied by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra conducted by internationally, acclaimed Director Rob Fischer, headlined the weekend of events. The black-tie gala brought the arts community a taste of Broadway with O'Hara performing a collection of recognizable and iconic songs from her Broadway shows. Guests then moved to two of THE MAIN's restaurants, Grain and Varia, where the party continued into the late hours of the night with drinks and live entertainment including Buckshot at Grain. There was even a midnight screening of Stanley Kubrik's The Shining, with two young girls dressed as characters from the film greeting attendees and nearby bathroom mirrors reading, "redrum" written in red lipstick.

The weekend closed with a Sunday brunch and check presentation ceremony along with performances from the Virginia Opera, The Virginia Musical Theatre, Virginia Symphony Orchestra String Quartet, Virginia Ballet Theater, and Todd Rosenlieb Dance. Following the performances, the visual art pop-ups hosted their final tours before weekend guests checked out so the property can start preparing for its official Grand Opening Weekend March 31 - April 2.

ABOUT GOLD KEY | PHR

Gold Key | PHR was founded in 1986 by CEO Bruce L. Thompson in Virginia Beach, Virginia as a modest hospitality management company. Today, with $500 million in asset value and $170 million in annual revenue, Gold Key | PHR boasts over 1,300 keys under the Ramada, Hilton and Marriott flags, multiple award-winning restaurants and is the Commonwealth of Virginia's largest hospitality employer. Adding to Gold Key | PHR's list of noteworthy hospitality brands are two highly anticipated projects, The Cavalier, Virginia's first Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, and the Hilton Norfolk THE MAIN Hotel and Conference Center both slated for completion in 2017. Gold Key | PHR is also active in the development of commercial and luxury residential projects in the mid-Atlantic region. For more information on Gold Key | PHR, visit

www.goldkeyphr.com.

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