Ruth’s Chris Steak House said it intends to continue operating at the rebranding Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Jacksonville Riverfront where it opened 27 years ago.
The owner of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jacksonville Riverfront on the Downtown Southbank, at 1201 Riverplace Blvd., said July 9 it plans a $14.6 million renovation of the property and will rename it Hotel Bellamy.
Renovation plans for Hotel Bellamy include a redesign of guest rooms, public spaces, building exterior, pool and sundeck, existing food and beverage offerings, and the addition of a riverfront dining concept.
Completion is estimated by January 2027.
“This will have no impact on our restaurant,” said Brittany Baron, Ruth’s Chris Steak House communications manager, in an email July 12.
Ruth’s Chris is owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. It acquired Ruth's Hospitality Group in June 2023.
Other Darden restaurants include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V's and Bahama Breeze.
Ruth’s Chris opened at the hotel in the fall of 1997 when the property was the Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront. Ruth’s Chris was renovated in 2019.
Those plans showed the 8,614-square-foot restaurant has 263 seats, comprising 172 in the main dining room, 34 in the lounge, nine at the bar, and 24 each in two private dining rooms.
County records show the hotel, originally a Hilton, was built in 1967 and went through several ownership changes.
Sotherly Hotels LP of Williamsburg, Virginia, acquired the hotel in 2005 through MHI Jacksonville LLC for $22 million.
Sotherly Hotels converted the property to the Crowne Plaza flag in 2006 after renovations.
In 2014, Sotherly Hotels said it entered into a 10-year franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide to rebrand from the Crowne Plaza to the DoubleTree Jacksonville Riverfront. Sotherly said July 9 it has entered into a new 10-year franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide to relicense the hotel as a soft-branded DoubleTree by Hilton under the name Hotel Bellamy.
Ruth’s Chris, which operates 4-9 p.m., is not the only restaurant and lounge at the hotel.
The hotel operates the St. Johns Provision Co. breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant and the lobby St. Johns Provision Lounge.
This story has been updated with Darden buying Ruth's Chris.