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Jay-Z To Open J Hotel in NYC

We should have added this to our 2008 New York City Hotel Openings Preview story from this morning. Apparently, rapper/hip-hopper/mogul Jay-Z (aka Shawn Carter) wants to be a hotelier.

The Jigga man and some developers have bought a property in NYC at 510 West 22nd St. for his first hotel of many to be called J Hotels.

Currently the site is occupied by a five-story, 88,000-square foot warehouse and parking facility net leased to Time Warner Cable, Inc., which will vacate the premises.

The developers on the project are Charlie Blaichman and Abe Shnay of SK Development and CB Developers. The deal totaled about $66 million (including air rights)and we're guessing they are going to plunk down some more to actually build the hotel. So we predict a 2009/2010 opening.

As for the hotel, Jay-Z intends for it to be an upscale five-star 150,000-square-foot luxury hotel. We bet a 40/40 club, a Roc-a-wear store and a suite designed by Beyonce will be included.

[Photo: via Sneakerboxx]