Portland’s Ritz-Carlton Delays Its Opening Until the Fall

Block 216 — the building that will house Portland’s Ritz-Carlton, a food hall, and the ritzy (sorry) hotel restaurant Bellpine — will open a little later than anticipated. The building had initially planned to open in mid-July, and began booking hotel stays for mid-August; however, the website is now reporting that rooms will not be available until October. “The postponement from the previously announced date was decided to ensure delivery of premium materials and finishes for an exceptional experience for guests,” Portland developer Walt Bowen said in a statement.

A spokesperson from Flock, the food hall opening within Block 216, says the food hall is “aiming for a fall opening;” the team at Bellpine has indicated they will “likely open in the fall.” Stay tuned for more updates.

Stone Soup is awarded a $10,000 grant from the Jacques Pépin Foundation

Food service-training nonprofit Stone Soup has been selected by the Jacques Pépin Foundation as a recipient of one of its summer 2023 grants. Stone Soup is one of ten awardees nationwide, and will receive $10,000 in funding, which it plans to put towards personnel, building, and maintenance costs. Participants of Stone Soup’s 12-week culinary training and workforce development program learn about kitchen safety, cooking techniques, and kitchen/restaurant operations.

Oregon sees major job growth within the hospitality sector

In June 2023, Oregon’s unemployment rate fell for the fifth month in a row, now landing at 3.5 percent; that puts the unemployment rate 0.1 percent from its all-time low. A huge part of that growth came from the leisure and hospitality industry, which gained more than 1,600 jobs in June.

Updated Monday, July 24 at 9:30 a.m.: This story has been updated to include an anticipated opening date for Bellpine.